A security guard has shot dead two supervisors allegedly following an argument after he went AWOL while on duty at an Umlazi clinic.
The guard fired at his superiors who had had arrived at the clinic looking for him on Saturday night. "They could not find him as he was not at his post. When he eventually appeared, an argument ensued and the security officer allegedly shot both men, the Department of Health said in a statement.
Expressing his condolences to the families of the supervisors, Health MEC Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo said he was "deeply pained by the fact that they demised at one of our health facilities, allegedly at the hands of someone who was tasked with looking after state property and the safety of the public, including that of the people that he allegedly killed."
He called for the law to take its course against the security guard who was arrested and is due to appear in court on Monday.
In a separate incident on Friday night, an alleged would-be burglar was shot dead after a stand-off with security guards at King Dinuzulu Hospital. He and his accomplice- who was arrested- had tried to break into the hospital.
Dhlomo said this was; "yet another worrying example of the moral decay in our society that we find ourselves confronted by. It is inconceivable that anyone would want to break into a health facility – something that would undoubtedly sabotage its operations and potentially place the lives of innocent people at risk."
He commended the security guards for being vigilant in protecting state property. "It is regrettable that a life has been lost. But if these people had not resorted to what they did, none of this would have happened,” Dhlomo.
The Mercury