Bribe accusation sparks violence JAMES HALL MBABANE – A senior manager with Nedbank Swaziland succumbed to “border post rage,” a condition reportedly prompted by long queues at South Africa’s Oshoek border post with Swaziland, and was shot and critically wounded by a South African security guard. Gareth Evans reportedly provoked a security guard by accusing him of allowing people who paid bribes swift access to the South African Custom’s clearance office at the border post, where Evans had been queuing in line with others. The Swazi press reported that Evans then assaulted the guard with fists and kicks. The guard reportedly did not fight back, but eventually pulled out his service gun and shot Evans. Evans was airlifted to a clinic in South Africa for treatment, reportedly in critical condition. The incident took place last Saturday. The security guard was employed by a private firm that supplements the South African police at the border post, which is the most trafficked border crossing between South Africa and landlocked Swaziland. The incident is reportedly the most extreme manifestation of the frustration common to users of the border post, including road freight carriers servicing Swaziland from Gauteng and other points. A common complaint is long queues that extend out into the hot sun or inclement weather. Witnesses speculated that in the latest incident, the usual grumbling heard by customs office users flared into violence. They wondered why other security personnel did not attempt to subdue Evans before deadly force was used against him.
