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Fan recounts brutal attack

Cape Town - A Durban businessman has described the attack on the rugby fan who was killed outside Kings Park on Saturday as "brutal".

Twenty-nine-year-old UK rugby fan Brett Williams died outside the stadium following the Super Rugby match between the Sharks and the Rebels. He was reportedly attacked and killed by a group of fans.

The witness, who did not want to be named, told the Daily News website that he and several other rugby fans could do nothing but watch as Williams, a Royal Marine who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan, was beaten to death.

“The main aggressor was a hulk of a man and his friends all looked like they were on steroids. Despite trying to stop them, we could not and they just pushed us away. Even the five security guards who were there could do nothing. These guys were highly aggressive.”

The businessman said he had seen Williams and the men argue earlier.

“I don’t know what was said, but the main instigator asked (Williams) what he had said, to which he replied, ‘nothing’. Brett moved away from them to where a lady was selling "koeksisters" and waited there, when all of a sudden these guys had surrounded him,” he said. “Brett defended himself by throwing the first punch but the big guy overpowered him easily and got him to the ground and began strangling him.”

He said Williams then passed out.

“A short while later Brett came to and began to get up and that is when the entire pack attacked him, kicking him and punching him. One of the men even wanted to get a brick to hit him further when the crowd stopped him. They were ruthless.

“I have never in my whole life witnessed such brutality. They were like a pack of wild dogs. There is no better way to describe them.

“When I left, the paramedics had arrived and had put a drip on him and were trying to revive him. When I found out he died my stomach turned,” he said.

Sharks CEO Brian van Zyl said via a statement released to the media the fight occurred on the outer fields at about 22:00.

“We have conducted our own internal investigation and are satisfied that our contracted service providers, Fidelity Security and ER24, had done everything possible to assist in stopping the fight on the night,” he said in a statement.

“We pride ourselves on providing a world-class display in a safe and secure environment. The safety of our patrons is of paramount importance.

“This is a senseless isolated incident and the stadium will ensure that we do everything possible to avoid incidents like this occurring in the future.”

Van Zyl said the matter was being investigated by the South African Police Service and the union would assist them wherever possible in their investigation.
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