THERE were scenes of terror at Winterveld in Tshwane on Wednesday as residents hunted down members of a security company.
Foreign men accused a resident of breaking into one of their shops.
Lungisa Vikela is a security company owned by Lucas Sithole. Residents claim the company’s guards also make up a gang that terrorises them.
On Wednesday afternoon, locals went to the company’s offices to destroy them, smashing windows, looting computers and TVs and torching a vehicle.
According to the residents the guards had gone to a house in the area and threatened a woman because they said her son had broken into a shop.
The guards wanted to question the young man about a robbery that took place at a store where Lungisa was responsible for security.
Their unpleasant visit caused a stir and made the residents furious.
The guards did not take it lying down. They started shooting at the residents. But the people shot back.
Security company owner Sithole told Daily Sun he condemned the action of the residents, adding these were acts of people targeting him.
“I once was a member of a committee tasked to look at how projects are run in the community. These people have projects and want to silence me.”
Sithole said his company is a legitimate security company working with the police.“When we find people stealing, we hand them over.”
Captain Samuel Sebola confirmed that a case of malicious damage to property had been opened. “Investigations are still underway,” he said.