Cape Town - Police in in Cloetesville are investigating allegations that a white cyclist pointed a firearm at a parent during the summer initiation season at Ida’s Valley initiation site last month.
It is alleged the man was cycling along the initiation site and met one of the parents who told him he was not allowed at the site.
The man is alleged to have then pointed a gun at the parent “for no apparent reason”.
Nyanga Initiation Forum chairperson, Mark Khoabane said an attempted murder complaint was lodged at Cloetesville police following the incident.
“We then attended to this situation as it was a violation of our rights.
“The two gentleman who were pointed at were a parent and a caregiver.
It is believed the white guy is mobilising nearby coloured residents to counter-attack by asking them to sign a petition that we were making noise and that we left the place untidy,” he said.
Stellenbosch Municipality referred questions on the matter to the police.
Police said: “According to information the suspect wanted to trespass whereas the complainant informed them that that he is trespassing and not allowed on the premises.
The alleged suspect pointed a firearm at the complainant. Investigation into the matter is in progress. The suspect is unknown by the complainant. The complainant alleges that during the initiation at Ida's Valley a white cyclist wanted to cycle through the area where the initiation was taking place.
“He was informed that he can't because of the initiation. According to the complainant, a firearm was then pointed at him. The investigation officer only spoke to the complainant on the phone because they were not allowed to enter the premises. The complainant also promised the investigating officer to bring him the witness. He is still waiting for the complainant.”
This is as the initiation forums have dismissed accusations that they left the Ida’s Valley site in an untidy condition, after media reports that Stellenbosch residents were “furious” over the condition of the area.
Khoabane said: “On the day we left the site the initiation principal made contact with the Stellenbosch fire department informing them we would be leaving the site and will start the period of burning the huts.
Fire brigade were on the site and they witnessed the whole process. By this time the whole site was clean and we have proof and videos to prove how clean we left the place.
We were shocked by reports saying that we left the place untidy. Even on our records we have the fire brigade on site while we were leaving the place at the end of the initiation season.”
Stellenbosch Municipality spokesperson, Stuart Grobbelaar said that they had received numerous complaints from residents that the area was not cleaned properly.
“The municipality did not just make make this up, we received calls and complaints from residents, visitors, hikers to alert us that everything wasn't entirely cleaned and cleared.
“On January 9, officials of our Department of Community Services together with representatives of the school visited the site to inspect and to ensure that any last debris is cleaned,” Grobbelaar said.
Cape Times