Victim of stadium violence gets helping hand

For the past two days, a Johannesburg businessperson has been frantically searching for the security guard who was brutally assaulted by angry Kaizer Chiefs supporters at the weekend.

He hopes to put a smile on the guard’s face by paying him a salary for a year, and covering his medical expenses.

Furious Chiefs supporters stormed on to the field after suffering an embarrassing loss to Free State Stars in Saturday’s Nedbank Cup semifinal at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Video footage of the ensuing chaos showed the security guard being beaten with chairs, and kicked in the head by angry supporters.

Premier Soccer League chairperson Irvin Khoza yesterday revealed the guard’s identity as Sabela Maziba, and reported that he had been admitted to hospital, and was discharged after being treated for his head injuries.

But even before this, Blain Josephs, founder of the Billion Forex Group, appalled by the manner in which the security guard was assaulted, decided to take matters into his own hands and help him with his medical bills, and a year’s worth of wages.

“The bottom line is this guy went out to go work and feed his family. He didn’t even think that this would happen to him,” Josephs told The Citizen.

“When you leave your home to provide, you never expect something like this to happen. I can only imagine what it is like… (he may) have to go back to that environment (security job) at some point, and its traumatising to begin with. If I can do something for him I will. That is why I’m trying to get hold of him, to see what I can do for him.”

Josephs complained that despite all attempts to track down Maziba, he was getting no help from the relevant authorities, prompting him to turn to social media for more information and support.

“Look, I want to help him immediately. The immediate plan is to help with his medical bills but in the long run I want to put him on our payroll,” he said. “I just want to make sure that I can give him something every month, and make sure that financially, he is still able to cope with life. So, whatever he was earning at this company, I will give him that for the next 12 months.”

Josephs said he was acting on his conscience, as no human being should be treated that way.

“I believe we can’t just live in a bubble, where we just say okay and turn the other eye. Somebody has to start helping, and, with this, maybe I’m going to provoke other companies to help. It’s something that you [can] do to change their lives. It’s not something that will affect me but for him it will mean the world. That’s what’s important.”

– jenniffero@citizen.co.za

Also read: Two arrested after violence at Moses Mabhida stadium

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