POLOKWANE – Mashishi says he was on duty with a colleague on the night the attack took place.
He was patrolling the yard of the home he and his colleague guard when three men approached him and demanded money.
“They told me they will not hurt me if I give them the keys to the premises,” he explained. He told the men he did not have keys to the premises with him and this made the men angry.
“They demanded I hand over all the money I have, they also took my cell phone and even my lunch box. They asked where my colleague was and when I told them he was asleep in the guard room, they attacked him,” says Mashishi.
He says they stormed into the guard room and kicked his colleague in the head four times. The men then attacked Mashishi with a hammer, hitting him on the back of the head before tying up him and his colleague and fleeing the scene.
“I am afraid to go back to work. I fear for my life but I have to go back because it is my job,” Mashishi explains.
He urges other guards to be hyper vigilant of suspicious characters in their area. He says they should continue to do their best despite the dangers because it is part of the job.
Review spoke to a security company, Protection Security, who deals with the placement of night guards to find out how they equip their guards to ward off danger and protect themselves in the process.
Joseph Kgasho, Night Manager of Protection Security said their guards have panic buttons which they use to raise alarm in case of emergency and they are expected to report to the armed response team at specific times.
“Our guards know they are not alone. They know there are risks involved in the job but we do our best to keep them safe,” Kgasho said.
Both guards were treated for head injuries at the Polokwane Provincial Hospital following the incident.
