Johannesburg - “He just dropped dead, he was walking and he just collapsed, I don’t know what happened.”
These were the words of a woman who witnessed the death of a security guard in the Joburg CBD on Thursday. The incident occurred outside a butchery on the corner of Rahima Moosa and Pixley Seme streets (formerly Jeppe and Sauer streets).
“I don’t know what his name was, but he was kind, I would see him every day on my way to work and he would always greet me, I’m shocked,” said the woman, who only identified herself as Lindiwe.
The man, who died at about 5:30am on Thursday, was apparently healthy and well before he left for work on Wednesday evening.
The area was cordoned off, with a police officer watching the scene. A distraught family member arrived, but would not identify herself or the dead man to The Star. “He was a good man, he was only 40 years old, what will we do now? I don’t know, I just don’t know,” she said.
She then picked up some of the man's belongings. At 10:45am, a mortuary van arrived to pick up the body.
The owner of the butchery, Julian Max, was concerned that it took so long for the police to remove the body. “It was here when we arrived at work at 6am, it’s not acceptable. We expected the police to come here sooner and move it," he said.
In a separate incident, police launched a manhunt for several men who shot and wounded an officer at Twala section in Katlehong North, Ekurhuleni, on Thursday.
“It is alleged that at least five men, heavily armed, arrived at a petrol filling station around 1am, where they forced the doors open,” said police spokesperson Kay Makhubele.
“The men also damaged the teller machines and took an unknown amount of cash. Police were informed, and responded.
"Upon arrival, the suspects opened fire on the officers,” he said, adding that a constable was shot in the upper body and was taken to hospital. “He remains in a critical condition."
He said more than 80 rifle cartridges were found, and it was alleged that the robbers were driving a silver Audi Q7.
Members of the public are urged to help police with any information that could lead to the arrest or identification of the robbers.
People are advised not approach them as they are heavily armed. They can call 08600 10111, SMS Crime Line on 32222, or contact their nearest police station.
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