UPDATE: Pongola police chief speaks out

THE Zululand Observer’s website video showing a large group of thugs beating up a small group of youngsters at a Pongola petrol station, went viral and made national headlines within 24 hours, stirring up much heated debate.

As initially reported, the eyewitness who took the video said his concern was the lack of police intervention during the violent attack, not the apparent racial undertones being debated by the public.

In a follow-up interview, he said that while the exact motive is unknown to him, both parties appeared drunk and spoiling for a fight.

The source believed the large group of Pongola locals is a group called the ‘Scorpions’, allegedly renowned for violent fights.

It is the source’s assumption that even police officers are afraid of this group.

‘The teens were very lucky to have got away with their lives, because this group is very dangerous and members usually carry guns,’ he said.

This is allegedly not the first incident of this nature to occur in Pongola and the source said he felt it necessary to publicise this incident in the hope such violent behaviour can be brought to an end.

Pongola SAPS Station Commander, Colonel Herbst, said that while very brief and chaotic, the video footage revealed the identities of some of the victims, who have since been tracked down and interviewed.

While the source initially believed them to be teenagers from Vryheid, Herbst confirmed they are all Pongola residents in their early twenties.

They are currently working abroad and were in Pongola on holiday visiting their parents. They returned overseas shortly after the incident.

Herbst confirmed that while all involved had been out partying and were under the influence of liquor, he could not say that any of them were outright drunk.

He said the alleged perpetrators were not members of the group known as the Scorpions, as all those arrested are either at school or just out of school.

He said this group came from the Sodwana Corridor.

Disciplinary enquiries

As no charges were laid by either party after the incident, the focus of Herbst’s investigation is an internal disciplinary enquiry relating to the lack of police intervention during the incident.

He said all parties and witnesses, including petrol attendants at the station, are being interviewed and appropriate action will be taken once the investigation has run its course.

@TamlynJolly