By Tanya Waterworth
Eshowe has never seen anything like it.
Two expensive supercars crashed into each other, causing extensive damage, during a VIP wedding reception at the quiet town's local sports club last Saturday afternoon, leading to confrontations with residents.
The Durban drivers, Romeo Mbambo - a former IFP hitman - and a man known only as ND Sibiya both escaped injury when they crashed their Lamborghini Murcielago and Ferrari F430 into each other.
The two drivers apparently became aggressive with the crowd who gathered around the accident scene.
The men had been attending a wedding held at the Eshowe Sports Club.
While there was speculation that the two cars were "dicing" down the town's main Kangella Street, Captain Tienkie van Vuuren said the drivers had told police that Mbambo was giving directions to Sibiya, which were misunderstood.
"The two drivers said they were looking for a nearby dam where wedding pictures were being taken.
"According to them, Mbambo signalled to Sibiya to turn, but Sibiya took it as a signal to overtake, and the collision occurred.
"No one was injured at the scene," Van Vuuren added.
She confirmed that no accident report was completed, but said the incident was being investigated.
Meanwhile, witnesses at the scene said the drivers became angry when onlookers started taking photographs.
One man was allegedly assaulted, while cellphones with cameras were seized and a local journalist, Larry Bentley, was threatened when he took photographs.
"They said they did not want any photos taken of the accident and were very aggressive with both the people who gathered around the accident and the police who came to the scene," said a witness who did not want to be named.
The red Ferrari had temporary licence plates, while there were no number plates on the yellow Lamborghini.
The Lamborghini is registered in the name of Mantella Trading, which trades as Globetech Security and is owned by Mbambo's wife.
The company provides protection for Mandeni's mayor, as well as being the contracted security company for the municipality.
Mbambo is a former IFP hit-squad operative, who was sentenced to 72 years behind bars for six murders.
He was arrested in 1993 but was granted political amnesty and released after testifying before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
The flamboyant Mbambo is now regarded as an A-lister on the Durban social scene, and last year he was spotted arriving at a function in a Bentley.
The Ferrari at the accident scene was registered in the name of Cargo Motors, though this could not be verified.
Cargo Motors in Joburg yesterday denied owning a Ferrari.
The two supercars were valued by Lamborghini SA at a combined cost of R4.7 million.
The bride was the daughter of a local policeman, while the groom was a member of the SAPS Royal Protection Unit.
An Eshowe resident who passed by the sports ground during the wedding festivities said: "The cars parked at the club were all big, luxury vehicles - nothing under R500 000, apparently many of them belonging to government officials.
"The sports club was left with broken glass and mess all over the place," she said.
When contacted for comment, Sibiya denied he was driving one of the vehicles and said he was merely a passenger, while the contact number supplied by Mbambo had been disconnected.