The family of an Ekurhuleni car guard killed allegedly by a motorist have expressed shock and distress at his death.

Vusi Mgiqwa was allegedly assaulted by a motorist on Friday night outside a restaurant in Springs, on the Far East Rand. An eyewitness who had come to buy food at one of the restaurants in Selcourt told Sowetan a motorist punched Mgiqwa unprovoked.

According to Ryan Hynes it was about 7pm when he and his girlfriend Tayla Shead went to collect some takeaways.

Hynes waited in the car while Shead went to fetch the food at one of the restaurants. Mgiqwa, only known to residents as Vusi, started looking around for parking as he knew Hynes as a regular customer.

"While he was trying to get the parking, some guy came and as he walked passed Vusi he said 'you must sort these f****** cars out here'.

"Vusi said 'it is not the f****** cars', it is my job'. The man carried on walking for about three metres down the road and then turned around and punched him twice. He then walked away," said Hynes.

"When he hit him, Vusi fell straight on his head. I jumped out of my car and went to check out Vusi and realised he was unconscious. I ran after the guy. He got into his car and sped away. He even drove through the red robots."

The man was described as tall and big. Hynes was able to capture the man on video as he sped off in a VW Golf. Hynes said he went to a nearby pharmacy thinking someone could be able to help Mgiqwa and an ambulance was called.

Mgiqwa had regained consciousness when he was taken by the ambulance and rushed to Pholosong Hospital.

Hynes and another resident called the police and they also laid charges.

Yesterday at his home in Tsakane, Extension 17, Mgiqwa's family said they waited for his return home on Friday but he never did.

At about midnight Vusi's friend who normally drops him at home called to tell them he had been assaulted and had suffered head injuries.

On Saturday morning his sister Mittha Mgiqwa and his girlfriend Nhlanhla Qwabe went to the hospital to see him but when they arrived he was already declared dead.

"Vusi was such a nice person. He woke up every morning and went to Selcourt. He would come back at night with whatever he would have bought for the family. He was not a person who liked arguments. He had worked at that spot for about seven years. We are still shocked why he could be assaulted in this fashion. He was not a violent man," said Vusi's sister Jabulile Mgiqwa.

Residents of Selcourt were yesterday also still asking why a "peaceful" man like him would die in such fashion.

Police spokesperson Sergeant Lerato Mngomezulu said the man accused of the assault was arrested on Monday and faces charges of murder. He will appear in the Springs magistrate's court.