Luzuko Pongoma

Luzuko Pongoma

A gun battle between security guards at Midway train station in Soweto left two of them dead yesterday in an apparent case of mistaken identity.

The three men, two from Eskom and the other from Metrorail, were on guard against cable theft when the incident happened.

Soweto police spokesman Inspector Kay Makhubele said the two Eskom employees were working in the area when a Metrorail security guard suspected them of being cable thieves.

"It is alleged that the Metrorail employee fired shots and killed one of the Eskom guards.

"Then the remaining Eskom employee fired back and killed the Metrorail worker. Both men died at the scene," he said.

The other Eskom guard was taken to the police station to make a statement. A murder case has been opened and the police were investigating, he said.

Eskom's regional communication manager Norah Mmusi said one of the dead men was an Eskom contract worker stationed in the area to guard against cable theft. Sibusiso Ngomane of Metrorail would not comment when approached.

l Meanwhile, a petrol attendant at the Zola North Engen garage died after he was shot four times and stabbed repeatedly yesterday morning.

Police said he was involved in an altercation with a man who demanded petrol for free. After his shift ended, unknown men ambushed him in the veld and killed him.