Mini war in De Villiers Street

On Saturday afternoon, all chaos broke loose in front of the tavern in De Villiers Street, opposite from Feedall Distributors. Patrons were attacking one another with homemade weapons and bottles.

According to one of the eyewitnesses, Christine Robinson of Feedall, their store was quite busy as it was the end of the month.

“Without any warning and within what felt like seconds, several people gathered on both sides of the street, and I witnessed the most violent stabbing and kicking, combined with throwing and smashing of full bottles of beer in the road.”

Robinson said at least four people were running from the side of the street to the other, holding home-made weapons and shouting while kicking one person who was lying on the ground.

No one seems to know where the fight broke out, or why, but word on the street is that it had something to do with illegal mining. Witnesses said that while the brawl was going on in the street, people ran to the gate of the shebeen, which was closed at that time, banging their weapons against it an effort to break it down. Others were trying to get away from the mini-war by climbing over the wall.

“I was concerned about the pensioners sitting outside waiting for lifts as well as the safety of my customers. By the time the police arrived, however, most of the crowd has dispersed,” said Robinson.

By that time the wounded was already transported to Barberton General Hospital and from the information we received, the fight flared up once more and continued at the hospitals grounds.

One of the ladies working near the tavern told Robinson that the fight started in Emjindini and that the people involved never entered through the door, but over the fence.

Barberton Times approached the owner of the tavern, one Sunnyboy, but he couldn’t see us at the time and we were supplied with his contact details by a staff member. Word on the street has it that at least two people didn’t come out alive, but Sunnyboy denied this. Const Tutu Nkosi from the SAPS confirmed that no one died. Five people were admitted to hospital with injuries of which one was released on Monday and the incident is still under investigation.