KNYSNA NEWS - Hornlee residents allege that members of the security and evictions services company known as the Red Ants were behind a shootout outside a nightclub in the area on Saturday 16 June.
They allege it started with an altercation between a Red Ants staff member and a patron of the Nite Spot club, and that the Red Ants member subsequently, after allegedly first going to his vehicle in the parking lot, started shooting at everyone outside the club with rubber bullets including the person he had been fighting with.
The patron involved in the altercation, Noelee Melville, said when he and his friends were leaving the club, they saw a group of men dressed in black uniforms and when he asked them if they were the Red Ants, the group did not take kindly to the question and responded in a rude manner and started cursing.
"I asked them if they are they the ones that destroy structures and the group that was already drunk started cursing… Somehow this guy managed to push me and that is how it began – after that everyone started fighting and everything happened so quickly. One of them came back with the rubber bullets and opened fire on innocent people – and we all ran."
An eyewitness and resident from the area, Candice Kasonde, said one Red Ants member, using live ammunition, then shot at a man and hit him in the hand. She also alleged that when the Red Ants members left the area they continued shooting from their vehicle.
The man alleged to have been shot in the hand is Knysna United rugby player William Danhou, who was unavailable for comment a the time of going to print.
Subsequent to the incident, the Knysna detective branch is investigating a number of cases which include attempted murder, assault with the intent to commit grievous bodily harm, common assault and malicious damage to property.
Local police spokesperson Sergeant Chris Spies confirmed the incident but did not confirm or deny that the men involved were from the Red Ants.
He said a vehicle that was linked to the incident was later searched at the police station.
"The police found a shotgun, revolver and pistol during the search. These firearms were confiscated and will be sent for ballistic tests," said Spies.
A 38-year-old suspect was later arrested on charges of malicious damage to property and is due to appear in the Knysna Magistrates Court on 28 July.
Spies concluded, "Investigation into these matters is still at a very early stage and more arrests might follow as the investigation unfolds."
When the Red Ants company was asked for comment, director Theo Moses said, "I can confirm an incident occurred allegedly involving off-duty members. The case is under investigation."
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