Knysna erupts

KNYSNA NEWS - The fear that comes over you when you hear gunshots can leave you shaken to the core. You know you have to start moving but a part of you refuses to budge. Move and you attract fire, they say, but move you must, you don't stop to ponder.

When I heard the first shots ring out and felt the crowds surging away from the blasts around me, my fighting instinct was overwhelmed by an urge to flee and off I went with the rest of the throng – reminding myself that rubber bullets are bullets nonetheless…

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Where it all began
This was only the beginning of the series of events that transpired on Thursday 28 March after the Molosi murder case was postponed yet again in the Knysna Circuit High Court.

For those who still don't know, the ANC ward councillor Victor Molosi was gunned down outside his home in July last year, and four men were arrested.

Former Knysna Taxi Forum secretary Mandla Tyololo is facing charges of conspiracy to commit murder and former councillor Velile Waxa, Mawande Makhala and Vela Patrick Dumile are charged with the murder.

Tyololo's case is to be heard separately. All four men were denied bail last year but Waxa appealed the matter and the Cape Town High Court ordered his release on 22 March while his co-accused remain in custody.

Waxa bail ignites
As soon as the news came to light about Waxa's release there was a sudden mood switch, the atmosphere changed, but nothing could prepare one for the chaos that ensued on Thursday. Even before the court proceedings, roads were blocked in the northern areas by pyres of burning tyres, stones, broken bottles and the like.

Minutes before court proceedings commenced, the first shot was fired following a physical clash between a Molosi and Waxa supporter outside the court.

Any hopes the community might have harboured about Waxa being thrown back into jail or that at least the trial would soon commence, were shattered by the announcement of the case being postponed (see story on Page 2), which is when all hell broke loose.

Violence erupts
An address by one of the ANC 's provincial leaders, Jabu Mfusi, sharing what was said in court, was met by both disappointment and anger. The community took to the streets chanting and soon bins on the main road were emptied, garbage bags were flung about, plants violently plucked from their pots, then down Long Street it went. Some community members ran to Woodmill Lane trying to breach the front door of Pick n Pay and the windows at the MTN shop were shattered by still unknown perpetrators. Then gunshots, unnerving screams, mayhem as people scattered in every direction. I found myself paralysed by the conflicting urge to run and hide and the desire to remain in the heart of the chaos. I found some solace in swearing out loud.

More gunshots fired
The throng marched down Gray Street where it found itself surrounded by police and promptly turned back to the main road amid a cacophony of screams and gunshots and children running in all directions. Public order police loudly tried to herd the crowd back to the location but the community was not moving. While traffic heaped up behind them, some community members took to throwing stones at the police while some police assaulted the public.

By the time the dust had settled, a total of 42 community members had been arrested and two admitted to Knysna Provincial Hospital. Shortly after the arrests, one of the protesters with a loud hailer urged remaining members to march to the police station to get arrested with the group, saying he is willing to die for Molosi. "I was fortunate enough to know the man and have witnessed his great works. I will not deny him!" he shouted.

After councillors spoke with the police on the scene the crowd then marched to the police station where they waited until their fellow community members were released.

On 1 April they were due to appear in the Knysna Magistrate's Court but were told the matter was not on the court roll pending an investigation. This was confirmed by control prosecutor Johan Engelbrecht.

Quiet after the storm
By the time dusk had set in, the town was uncannily quiet. But by nightfall sirens could be heard in the streets again and townsfolk feared the worst but when KPH went to investigate all indication of the day's chaos had abated.

The windows of the MTN shopfront had already been replaced and everything seemed strangely normal, almost as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred there at all.

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