Woman brutally assaulted by security guard
HYDE PARK – A 23-year-old woman was brutally attacked by a security guard at a shopping centre on North Road in Hyde Park – just because her partner supposedly parked his car in the wrong place.
Footage shown to the Rosebank Killarney Gazette shows the guard verbally abusing Neo Nhlapo while she tries to get away.
The guard then runs after her, grabs her and throws her to the ground, then proceeds to attack her physically. Two other guards run to her aid and pull the aggressive guard away from her.
Her right eye was swollen shut after the attack with a cut underneath. She also suffered severe bruising to her ribs on the right-hand side of her body, and lacerations to her left shoulder and knee.
Nhlapo lives in a communal home next to the shopping centre and was given unofficial permission by centre management to use the shopping centre’s parking lot when she had visitors, with provision she notifies security first. Nhlapo, herself, does not own a motor vehicle.
On 27 September, her partner wanted to park his vehicle in the parking lot for a short while. Nhlapo looked to find security personnel beforehand, but none was in sight so she told him to park there in the meantime while they quickly went into her home.
Upon returning, the security guard was back and became aggressive with the couple, who swiftly moved the car from the parking lot. Nhlapo then phoned centre management to tell them about the guard’s misconduct. They in turn asked her to find out the guard’s name.
“I asked him his name and once again he started swearing at me,” said Nhlapo.
“I could see he was about to get physical.”
In the footage, it can be seen how intimidated she was as he bore down on her while she tried to back away. She tried defending herself by tossing the coffee she was holding at him, but this infuriated him even more.
“He came to me and grabbed me, pulled my hair, slapped and punched me,” continued Nhlapo.
“I was too traumatised to even talk to police after the incident. I couldn’t stop crying.” She did, however, manage to report the incident to Parkview police not long after.
Sergeant Lloyd Ramovha, spokesperson for the station, was able to confirm that a case of common assault was under investigation.
“The 45-year-old suspect in question has been arrested and will appear in court soon. The suspect has laid a counter charge against the woman as well.” stated Ramovha.
Management of the shopping centre declined to comment, but allowed the Gazette to view the footage of the incident together with Nhlapo.
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