Robbers shoot and kill municipal pound guard

A SECURITY guard died in Willowvale on Wednesday night after five unknown gunmen opened fire on him while he was at his post at a municipal animal pound.

The 40-year-old victim was employed by a private company, Tyeks Security, contracted by the Mbashe municipality to guard the pound. Eight head of cattle were stolen initially after the attackers broke the locks, with seven since having been recovered, head of law enforcement for the municipality, Lungisa Bongo, said yesterday.

Tyeks Security owner Tyelovuyo Buhlungu told the Daily Dispatch that a woman had arrived at the animal pound in town around midnight. She allegedly claimed to be looking for her lost animals.

“As the guard was talking to her, five gunmen came from nowhere and opened fire, fatally injuring one of our armed guards,” Buhlungu said.

He was unable to say how many guards were on duty at the time of the attack. “The gunmen were heavily armed and meant business. It means that they had a plan to kill anyone who stood in their way.” As for the woman who had approached the guard, Buhlungu claimed she had suddenly vanished when the gunmen opened fire.

He said they were not sure whether the woman had been part of the gang or not.

“How can a woman in the middle of the night travel all the way from villages to come and look for cattle in the pound in town?”

Attempts to contact the municipality were unsuccessful at the time of going to print yesterday. Buhlungu said it was the first time his guards had been attacked at the pound.

After shooting the guard, the gunmen reportedly managed to break open the padlocks and take some livestock with them.

Buhlungu said there were about 40 head of cattle inside the pound at the time of the attack.

“This is very bad, to have a guard killed just for doing his job.

“I just wish that people could understand our jobs.”

He expressed condolences to the family of the victim.

Butterworth police spokesman Captain Jackson Manatha confirmed they were investigating a case of murder. No one has been arrested. —