FEDUSA and MTWU Calls on Police Minister Bheki Cele to Investigate and Intervene in the Kidnapping and Subsequent Murder of Johannes Mashele by Suspected Death Squad in Mogwase

19 September 2018

The Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA) and the Motor Transport Union (MTWU) – its affiliate in the motorised cash-in-transit security industry – has called on Police Minister Bheki Cele to immediately investigate and intervene in the kidnapping of Johannes Mashele a G4S security guard by a large group of armed men from his home in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria on Friday night. Mashele was later found dead with gunshot wounds in Mogwase, outside Rustenburg in the North West Province.

Mashele (32) was employed by G4S in the Rustenburg as a custodian, the security guard who loads cash into ATM machines at Malls and Shopping Centres. He was responsible for loading cash into ATM machines in the Rustenburg and Mogwase areas and was accused of causing R6 million shortage by the armed squad.

The MTWU suspects that the armed group which arrived at Mashele’s home in the middle of Friday night in nine unmarked cars – according to terrified neighbours –  was a Death Squad employed by security company G4S which has been terrorising their members for quite some time now but which G4S has repeatedly disowned.

The squad is said to have forced open the door, kicked and punched Mashele in front of his children and wife who was being held down held by one of the suspects. Mashele was then dragged out of the house and forced into a police Ford Focus which then drove away in the middle of the night towards Rustenburg. The G4S head office has confirmed that their investigators were driving behind the police car that was carrying away Mashele on that Friday night.

Security guards in Mogwase told the MTWU they saw a heavily bloodied Mashele being forced to an ATM by people in police uniform on Saturday night. His bullet riddled body was picked up by G4S investigators and the police in Mogwase on Monday morning. The MTWU says Mogwase police are refusing to cooperate. They have now engaged a team of lawyers and are appealing to the national Minister of Police to intervene as a matter of urgency.

 

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FEDUSA is the largest politically non-aligned trade union federation in South Africa and represents a diverse membership from a variety of sectors in industry.  See www.fedusa.org.za for more information.

For interviews please contact:

Dennis George

FEDUSA General Secretary

084 805 1529

Mdumiseni Mabaso

MTWU General Secretary

082 823 9315

Issued by:

Frank Nxumalo

FEDUSA Research and Media Officer

072 637 8096