Cape Town – Greyton hamlet near Caledon remains on a knife’s edge following an incident captured on video that has gone viral, showing a farmer and businessman allegedly brandishing a firearm during a protest on Monday.
The protest, led by residents of the Madiba Park informal settlement over mobile toilets removed from the settlement on Sunday, saw residents blocking streets with rocks and branches while police monitored the crowd.
The man in the video, Guy Emslie, has denied reports that he brandished his weapon in the presence of protesters while being led away by police.
“I am part of the Ward 2 committee representing the agricultural sector and had bought and rented the mobile toilets for R18 000 last year before the Theewaterskloof (TWK) municipality took over.
"I believed I had goodwill and approached the crowd, but some of the group were drunk and picked up stones and emotions were heated.”
“My weapon was never drawn as gun ownership protocol states. I cannot leave it unattended and I had it holstered and at my side while police were on hand throughout,” he said.
Emslie said he was disappointed that the unfortunate incident had been blown out of control and politicised, as he was only attempting help avoid another violent protest like in 2017 that resulted in the town’s market being burnt down.