The altercation between White River resident Pieter Burger, a member of the rugby club, and an unidentified man, started inside the bar and moved to the parking area outside the club after manager of the club house, Arnold van Niekerk, chased everyone out of the bar to close for the night.
“By the time I had locked up and gotten to my car, everyone had left. However, when I left the club premises and turned onto Danie Joubert Street, I saw stationary vehicles in the road and heard gunshots.
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“I stopped my car and saw Pieter (Burger) fall. I tried to assist him, but there was nothing I could do for him. As my son, Arno, got out of his vehicle, he was also hit four times. I ran over to him and tried to stop the bleeding while waiting for an ambulance.”
Arno van Niekerk and the unidentified male were transported to hospitals in Nelspruit and are both in critical condition. Arnold said that his son was in a lot of pain.
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Security companies reacted to the incident, but were not available for comment.
Acting station commissioner of the White River police station, Captain Ernest Phoku, confirmed the incident and said that the case had been referred to the provincial organised-crime division of the police for further investigation.
