CAPE TOWN – A security guard was shot dead and three others wounded when armed assailants ambushed their patrol at NY 5 Gugulethu Cemetery on Thursday afternoon, in what police are investigating as a coordinated attack.
The incident occurred around 3:00 PM when multiple gunmen approached the security team’s vehicle in what witnesses described as a well-planned assault.
According to a KTC community leader who requested anonymity due to safety concerns, the attack was methodical and brutal. “One security guard was inside the vehicle while three others were standing outside when two cars arrived – one parking in front of their vehicle and another behind it, effectively trapping them,” the leader explained.
“Several armed men got out and ordered the three guards standing outside to lie down. They then opened fire before fleeing the scene.”
The 45-year-old security guard inside the vehicle died instantly from gunshot wounds, while his three colleagues sustained injuries and were rushed to a medical facility for treatment.
Provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg confirmed that Gugulethu detectives have opened murder and attempted murder cases following the attack.
“Officers responded to reports of a shooting and found one security guard deceased inside a GWM light delivery vehicle, with three others wounded,” Twigg said. “The suspects fled with the victims’ service firearms.”
The attack has heightened safety concerns in the area, with community leaders expressing fear about speaking out. “We are not safe. As community leaders, we are scared to even go to the scene because we are accused of being police informants,” the anonymous community leader said.
The incident highlights ongoing security challenges in the Western Cape, where armed attacks on security personnel have become increasingly common.
Police are appealing for anyone with information about the attack to come forward as the investigation continues.
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