Kimberley – A security guard at a city shopping mall was shot in the leg after apparently asking the driver of a cash-in-transit vehicle to park in an appropriate manner.
From his bed in the emergency room at the Gariep Mediclinic on Saturday afternoon, 30-year-old Itumeleng Melato, who has been employed at the Diamond Pavilion Mall for about a year, was still trying to understand why the Fidelity security guard, who was at the mall to restock one of the ATMs in the underground parking area, had decided to open fire on him.
“It all started when I approached the driver of the vehicle to ask him to please move the vehicle as he was not parked in an appropriate manner,” Melato said while doctors were still busy examining the four bullet wounds, one entry and three exit wounds, on his right leg.
“He (the driver) told me that he doesn’t care what I say and he refused to move, as I had requested.
“I then went around to write down the licence plate number of the vehicle, in order to have the matter addressed but, as I did so, another guard, the one who shot me, confronted me and told me that I was not allowed to take down their registration.
“I tried to reason with him but the guy was very stubborn and just would not listen. He just kept shouting and punching me while the driver sat in the car and did nothing.
“He then cocked the R4 rifle, hitting and poking me with it a few times, before he fired a single bullet which hit me in the leg.”
Melato admitted that he was grateful to be alive but remained in a lot of pain and demanded that his assailant be severely dealt with.
“The doctors say I will remain in hospital tonight and my wife has already come to see me. I just want to feel better. Tonight’s New Year’s Eve and this is not where I wanted to start 2017.”
The general manager of the Diamond Pavilion Mall, Benita Valkenborgh, expressed her shock at the incident, saying that the shopping centre went “above and beyond” to ensure the safety of both personnel and patrons at the mall.
She added that criminal charges had already been opened against the cash-in-transit officer and every measure would be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
“A criminal case was opened with various charges,” Valkenborgh said on Saturday afternoon. “Our security guard has been admitted to hospital and is in a stable condition.
“Diamond Pavilion Mall treats the safety of our tenants and patrons with the highest of priority, with this being an isolated incident.”
Requests for comment from Fidelity Guard were declined over the weekend.
Meanwhile, SAPS provincial communication officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Dimakatso Mooi, confirmed that a case had been opened against the cash-in-transit security guard but added that the alleged assailant was accusing Melato of trying to rob him of his firearm.
“The police in Kimberley are investigating a case of attempted murder and attempted robbery of firearm after both parties involved in the incident opened counter cases against each other,” Mooi said.
“It is alleged that two security guards from different companies quarrelled about parking. A shot was fired accidentally and hit one of the guards in the leg. The victim was taken to hospital. No one has been arrested and the police investigation continues.”
The conduct of cash-in-transit security guards, while restocking ATMs in busy shopping areas, has previously been called into question, with at least one fatality occurring under these circumstances in the city in recent years.
In August 2013, 43-year-old Mudinie “Mudz” Hassim was fatally shot in front of an Absa ATM in Phakamile Mabija Road by an SBV Service security guard, shortly after 9am on a busy morning
On this occasion, the armed security personnel were loading money into an Absa ATM when Hassim apparently tried to walk past them on the pavement. He was prevented from doing so, resulting in a heated exchange before a guard drew his firearm and shot him in the chest.