Witnesses have told of the shootings of two security guards in White City, Soweto, where one was on duty and the other closer to his home where his wife and children were waiting for him.
The guards who work for different security companies were shot seconds apart along a dark Letabe Street during load-shedding in the area.
Mbulo Sawe, 36, was shot shortly after disembarking from a taxi after work.
Sawe, who worked for Bad Boys security company, sustained a gunshot wound to the head.
Eyewitnesses said the father of two had been walking down the street when suddenly a gunshot went off.
“He walked past us and greeted us,” said a resident who asked not to be named.
“Shortly after that, I heard a gunshot and I saw him falling to the ground. The shooters then started searching him as though they were trying to get something.
“As we tried running away, we heard more gunshots coming from up the street. We then ran to adjacent streets to take cover.”
The second shooting happened some 200 metres away from where Sawe was shot, at Lamula Butchery where staff were closing shop for the day.
The butchery's manager Bule Lamula said he and three staffers were outside the shop when the tactical response officer from Fidelity ADT known to them by his surname, which Sowetan is withholding, came to check up on them as the security company would usual do when there's load-shedding.
“He asked us if we were fine and as we were interacting, I heard a gunshot and we all started running. When I took off, I saw him also running but after a few metres, I didn’t see him anymore,” Lamula said.
“I heard two more gunshots and so I kept running. About two minutes later, I then decided to return to the scene using a different direction. When I got back to the shop, I realised he had been shot. Members of the community had been surrounding his lifeless body.”
Provincial police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo said the ADT officer’s gun was stolen.
He said Sawe was not armed.
Another eyewitness who asked not to be named as he feared for his life, said he was walking right past the butchery as the incident started but didn’t realise what was happening until he heard swearing and gunshots.
“I heard them (shooters) screaming ‘voetsek’ as they were approaching the group at the butchery. It all happened so fast.
“Three gunshots went off. I was so scared that I didn’t even look back. I am still scared the shooters might come back for anyone who might have seen them, so please do not mention my name.
“I have not been able sleep the whole night, thinking that I was close to being shot myself.”
An 18-year-old boy who had been standing at a nearby corner told Sowetan how he saw the shooters going to shoot the security officer who was already fallen to the ground after taking the first bullet.
“They first shot him as he was trying to run away, that’s when he fell to the ground. Then they moved closer to him and shot him twice again,” he said.
“They then searched him and they took his gun and ran.”
The boy said he saw the three men standing across the butchery watching the staff members who were closing up minutes before the shooting.
“The three guys started shooting from across the street a few minutes after the security officer arrived. Everyone ran, I tried not to run so I could see what was happening, so I slowly moved away while watching what was happening. They went back for him while he was down and they shot him in the head.”
None of the witnesses have given statements to police and say they were scared that their names would be leaked and the shooters would come for them.
A driving school owner near Lamula Butchery, Bheki Radebe, said shootings had become a pandemic in the township and business owners were now operating in fear.
“Until we have proper policing we will always live in fear. I am scared as it is, how can I not be? But I guess this is becoming the new normal,” Radebe said.
Masondo said: “The suspects are unknown at this stage and police will be investigating the circumstances that led to the shooting incidents.”
He said anyone with information about this incident is urged to report it at any police station or anonymously on the crime stop line at 08600-10111 or via MySAPS app.
sibiyan@sowetan.co.za
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