The High Court, sitting in the East London Special Tribunal, conducted an in-loco inspection at the Highgate Hotel on the second day of the inquest into the 1993 massacre.
Survivors shared the harrowing details of that tragic day, when an unknown gunman entered the premises, threw tear gas, and began firing at patrons inside, killing five people: Royce Wheeler, Derek Whitfield, Stanley Hacking, Deon Harris, and Douglas Gates.
Roland Parker recalled the terrifying moments as five patrons tragically lost their lives in May 1993.
“As I ran out, there was a gent (gentleman) shooting this way (gesturing in the direction) with a .38, or some sort of revolver because it was quite a nasty flame that came out the front,” he recalled to the presiding officer, Judge Denzil Potgieter.
Parker spoke about teargas in the hotel being “bad” and their efforts to prise open the door to get out.
Another survivor, Neville Belling, also recounted the details of that day, describing “hitting the deck” when the gunmen came in, and within “two seconds he turned, and then I knew he was not playing”.
He said he turned and hit his cousin, and the two fell off their bar stools, and “by the time I hit the deck, I was already hit three times.”
Belling described lying on the ground until the teargas “went off”, and a “grenade went off” and despite being wounded realised they needed to get out fearing that the gunmen would come and finish them off.
“I shook my cousin, who never responded to me. I thought he was dead. I used his body to lean on to get up to the bar counter,” he said.
Belling said he tried to drag himself to another room, but another patron pulled him down to the ground to take cover.
Another survivor, Karl Weber, also provided his recollection of the events on that fateful day.
Following the inspection-in-loco, the inquest continued later in the day with further evidence from the police investigator, Captain Vaughn Peterson,
Judge Potgieter wanted to know what evidence was left of the case, as he said a lot seemed to have disappeared over the years.
Peterson admitted that fingerprints were misplaced, while the spent cartridges went missing when sent via post for testing.
He said the only physical evidence they have is a projectile, which has since deteriorated over the years, while blood samples taken from the scene cannot be traced.
The legal representatives of the families questioned whether something sinister was happening, saying the case had suffered one unfortunate incident after another.
The inquest continues.
