KEY POINTS
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Two suspects are wanted for the 2024 ambush murder of security guards in Gugulethu, Western Cape, during a cellphone tower repair operation.
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The attack reflects a 22% rise in on-duty security guard killings in South Africa, with stolen equipment often fueling organized crime.
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Police urge public assistance via anonymous tips, while community leaders and industry bodies call for improved protection for frontline workers.
Western Cape police have intensified efforts to locate Robert Anele Nkwitshi (34) and Luvo Mojozi (32), two suspects linked to the fatal shooting of two security guards in Gugulethu’s NY108 neighborhood on November 26, 2024.
The security guards, employed by World Class Protection, were ambushed while guarding technicians repairing a cellphone tower.
“The suspects approached the marked vehicle from both sides—three males in total—and opened fire on the guards,” a police spokesperson said. The passenger-side guard died instantly from multiple gunshot wounds, while the driver, though critically injured, was forced to lie on the ground before succumbing to his injuries.
IOL reports that the assailants stole cellphones, wallets, and a non-lethal firearm before fleeing on foot. A technician working on the tower was also robbed at gunpoint.
Attacks on security guards highlight rising risks in South Africa’s private sector
The double murder on the security guards underscores escalating violence against private security workers, a sector employing over 560,000 people nationwide. In 2024 alone, 127 security guards were killed on duty in South Africa, a 22% increase from 2023, according to the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA). “These attacks are not just criminal—they’re economic sabotage,” said PSIRA spokesperson Thandeka Mokoena. “Guards protect critical infrastructure, and their targeting disrupts services and instills fear.”
World Class Protection has offered a R100,000 reward for information leading to arrests, while community activists in Gugulethu organized a night vigil demanding tighter policing. “We’re tired of burying our neighbors,” said local ward councillor Zukiswa Ndlovu. “These criminals terrorize us while police resources are stretched thin.”
Authorities suspect the attack was planned, given the precision of the ambush and the theft of the non-lethal firearm, often resold to gangs. Nkwitshi and Mojozi have prior convictions for armed robbery and are believed to have ties to a Cape Flats syndicate.
