Mine guard mutilated during strike

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Mtubatuba, KZN - Four men have been arrested in connection with the murder earlier this week of a mine security guard in Mtubatuba, northern KwaZulu-Natal.

Bhekuyise Nxumalo, 48, was on duty at Petmin’s Somkhele mine on Monday when he was attacked at 9.50pm by men who barged into the security room brandishing weapons.

The widowed father of five was hacked to death.

His eyes were gouged out, his stomach cut open and his intestines removed.

His service shotgun was taken by the men.

Nxumalo’s murder took place during an unprotected strike at the mine that began two weeks ago.

It is continuing despite the company having obtained an interdict against the strikers.

Provincial police spokesman Captain Thulani Zwane, said yesterday that KwaMsane detectives, with members of the SAPS cluster tactical response team and the Empangeni public order policing unit, arrested four suspects within two days of the murder.

“The first three suspects were arrested on Tuesday and the fourth suspect, who was at his hiding place in the Kwamyeki area in KwaMsane, was arrested on Wednesday,” he said.

Zwane said police had also recovered a shotgun.

The suspects, aged between 20 and 25, were expected to appear in the KwaMsane Magistrates’ Court today to face charges of murder and robbery. - Daily news