A SECURITY guard who is in a critical condition in hospital has a pair of handcuffs waiting for him if he survives.
This follows the tragic shooting of Sinethemba Gili (24) on Monday at OR Tambo Municipality in the Eastern Cape.
Sinethemba died after the 31-year-old security guard shot her with the firearm he was given at work.
He then turned the gun on himself, but survived.
The bloody scene left staff traumatised. Mayor Nomakhosazana Meth gathered them in Mthatha for a special prayer meeting yesterday.
The two were lovers and Sinethemba’s colleagues said she told them they were going to argue on the day of her death.
Sinethemba worked for the municipality in the government’s extended public works programme.
Meth called the guard a coward who had killed a defenceless woman.
Following the prayer meeting, the mayor and other officials visited Sinethemba’s family in Ngangelizwe.
They donated groceries to the family and are still negotiating how to assist with funeral preparations.
“We came here to mourn with the Gili family. We didn’t expect this to happen on our premises.
“Security guards are supposed to protect our employees.
“What makes matters worse is that Sinethemba was the family’s breadwinner,” said Meth.
Sinethemba’s sibling said the family was devastated by the shooting.
“Sinethemba was a humble, quiet person.
“She never complained about any threats from her boyfriend.”
Police spokeswoman Captain Dineo Koena said the firearm used by the suspect was taken by police for testing.
A case of murder was opened.
