Toti folk dig deep to help hurt car guard

AMANZIMTOTI residents have opened their wallets to reward a car guard who was stabbed five times while foiling car thieves.

AMANZIMTOTI residents have opened their wallets to reward a car guard who was stabbed five times while foiling car thieves.

CCTV footage shows Siya Dlamini, 27, being stabbed by two would-be thieves on Beach Road, in Amanzimtoti, on Friday night.

Dlamini, from KwaMakhutha, was back at work yesterday. He said that, although he is afraid his attackers will return, he has to work to support his family.

He was stabbed in the back and neck, and has worked as a car guard for 12 years in the coastal town south of Durban.

"I support my four-year-old daughter and grandmother. If it's a busy day, I can make R300; R150 on a quiet day," he said.

George Snodey, a member of the local neighbourhood watch, posted the CCTV footage on Facebook showing the attack and appealed to the public to raise money for Dlamini.

"I have raised R1000 thus far. I want to show him that he is being rewarded for his good work," said Snodey. "He was stabbed a few times after he refused to let car thieves steal a vehicle in front of a block of flats. The attackers had earlier tried at another spot where the car guard was. He told them to 'eff off' and they then waited for him a bit further up the road."

Snodey said that a few months ago Dlamini had, with the help of other car guards, apprehended a man who was in a car trying to steal it.

"People don't want illegal car guards. It is understandable as we arrest a lot of them for various crimes... " he said.

Snodey added that, while Dlamini was in hospital, he had no income and so had to hurry back to work.