Two bodyguards employed by the Mayor and City Manager of the Umhlathuze municipality in Richards Bay have died in a shooting incident this morning.
According to the Municipality’s spokesperson Bongani Gina, the shooting occurred at the municipal office, where the two bodyguards were scheduled to attend a meeting in the office of Deputy City Manager for Community Services, Mathews Oliphant.
Gina says that Oliphant had intended to mediate a longstanding conflict between the two bodyguards, which he described as stemming from minor issues. While the exact sequence of events remains unclear, Gina stated that it was the bodyguard working for the Mayor who allegedly initiated the shooting.
Gina further says, “One of the Mayor’s bodyguards came and shot the City Manager’s bodyguard. Subsequently, as he attempted to flee the scene, another bodyguard shot him as well. As a result, we have two fatalities: the Mayor’s bodyguard and the City Manager’s bodyguard.”
The identities of the deceased have not yet been disclosed, and the police have commenced investigations into the incident.
