Justice for ‘gun incident’
Former rugby player claims abuse by guard
AFORMER Blue Bulls and Springbok Sevens player, Lukhanyo “Trompie” Nontshinga, who had a gun pointed at him by a security guard, wants justice.
Nontshinga, 33, alleged that he was pulled off the road by Marshall Security guards last week and when he addressed the matter with the company, they allegedly tried to bribe him – a claim Marshall Security emphatically denied.
Nontshinga said he had been humiliated by one of the security guards who apparently bragged about making “a rugby player cry”.
However, the director of Marshall Security, Tyron Powell, defended his staff and said no one knew Nontshinga. Powell alleged he attempted to extort money from them.
“He is talking rubbish. I don’t know who he thinks he is or who knows him, and he is not a famous rugby player. My guys didn’t do anything wrong in searching him,” said Powell.
Nontshinga said he was driving in Chris Hani (North Coast) Road with his cousin, Mlandeli, when security guards surrounded his car and demanded that he switch it off.
“I was hooting at the taxi that had just stopped in the middle of the road to offload passengers. All of a sudden there were five security guards around my car, and one of them pointed a gun at me. They told me to get out. My cousin was pulled out of the car and forced to lie on his back in the road. They started searching us. There was such a commotion and everyone was looking.”
He said the guards suspected him of being a criminal.
“They searched us and took out everything in my car. They asked me about a gun and a cellphone. I was so confused. They said my car matched the description of someone whose owner had stolen a phone.”
Nontshinga said his reputation was damaged and he lost a business deal.
“I am not happy at how the security guards treated me and conducted themselves. I lost on a business deal because I was late due to being harassed by the guards. The people I was meant to meet had left by the time I arrived,” he said.
He said he lodged a complaint with the management of the company and was asked “what item does he want”.
“I told them what had happened, the guy I spoke to asked me what I wanted. He asked me to meet at their office but I preferred meeting at a another venue. I met with the manager at Windermere Centre and he said he wanted us to deal with this man to man. I told him I was going the legal route. He said if that was what I wanted, he would also consult his legal team,” said Nontshinga.
Powell said Nontshinga tried to extort money from them. “I met to hear his side. I told him I had been made aware of this and I was going to investigate. No one tried to bribe him. In fact, he is the one who was insinuating that I should pay him. He is making false allegations against my company, the security guards never did anything wrong. No one pointed a firearm at him,” said Powell.
SAPS Spokesman Major Thulani Zwane said a case of pointing with a firearm was being investigated by Greenwood Park Police.