- Excellerate Security guard Goodson Mseleshe came across a mother and her two children stranded on Sarnia Road after their car ran out of petrol
- Mseleshe had just finished a night shift and used his last R100 to find a container and buy fuel for the family
- South Africans online questioned whether a paper award was enough recognition for 24 years of service and a selfless act
Source: Facebook
An off-duty security guard from KwaZulu-Natal gave everything he had to help a stranger in need — and walked away asking for nothing in return.
Goodson Mseleshe, 49, was walking home along Sarnia Road in Bellair after finishing a night shift when he noticed a car behaving strangely. It moved a short distance, then stopped. His instincts told him something was wrong.
He approached the vehicle and found a woman with two young children inside. She had no idea what the problem was. When Mseleshe asked about the petrol gauge, she told him it was faulty and she could not read it at all. The car had simply run dry in the middle of the road, on a sharp bend where another vehicle could easily have come around the corner without warning.
To make things worse, her phone battery was dead, leaving her with no way to call for help.
Goodson's act of kindness on Sarnia Road
Mseleshe flagged down another passerby to help push the car to safety. He then set off on foot to find a container, eventually tracking down a five-litre can, and used his last R100 to buy petrol. Once the car started up again, the relieved mother gave him a lift and dropped him off in Rossburgh.
She called him later that evening to repay the money. He refused. Knowing she and her children had arrived home safely was enough for him. Mseleshe told the Highway Mail:
"What touched me most was that this was a woman with two small children. People have turned into monsters. What if someone came along and robbed or injured them? I would not have been able to live with myself."
Mseleshe has worked for Excellerate Services since 2002, when the company was still known as Enforce Security. He is stationed at the Bellair Municipal Swimming Pool. The company announced he will receive a Distinguished Conduct award for his actions.
Regional director Barry Smith said Mseleshe's story showed:
"the human behind the uniform in an industry that often gets negative press."
View the Facebook post below:
Mzansi questions whether a paper award is enough
While many praised Mseleshe's kindness, commenters on the Excellerate Services Facebook page raised sharp questions about whether the recognition went far enough for a man who had given 24 years to the same company:
Faizal Alfonzo Symallin said:
"Firstly I applaud Mr Goodson for his sincerity assisting the family. Please help me understand, he started in 2002 it's now 2026. For 24 years he's doing the same thing. Has the company no way to uplift their employees?"
Cindy Sililo Madala wrote:
"Maybe a Shoprite voucher will go a long way for Goodson and his family... the paper, ink and frame will collect dust, but his family will never forget the good gesture from his employer."
Sherpard Mzora Msizi said simply:
"Don't just give him a paper, build him a house or buy him a car."
More Briefly News stories on security
- A Wolf Security guard in Margate filmed a family sleeping rough with a young baby near Uvongo SPAR, appealing to South Africans for work or shelter.
- A Stellenbosch student uncovered an open database in Gauteng's e-Panic Button app, exposing users' crime reports, GPS locations and sensitive personal details.
- A young woman began at North-West University as a security officer and has now earned her PhD, and a clip of her daughters in tears has moved South Africans.
Source: Briefly News
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