By Fanuel Chinowaita
MUTARE – What was meant to be a night of fun and music at the Castle Braai Fest turned chaotic on Saturday after security personnel, including the police, military police, and private guards, shut the gates on hundreds of paying fans outside Madziro Leisure Centre.
The incident occurred while Urban Grooves star ExQ was performing, leaving many frustrated ticket holders stranded outside the venue. Some fans expressed anger after being denied entry despite having valid tickets.
“I asked one of the security officers why they were closing the gates when people still had tickets,” said one fan. “He told me they would only reopen once people outside became orderly.”
Eyewitnesses said the situation quickly deteriorated, with some attendees pushing against the gates and others engaging in scuffles. The heavy-handed response by the security team, which included officers with dogs, did little to calm the crowd.
“People started fighting for different reasons — some over entry, others over girls,” said another witness. “It was total chaos.”
The disorder overshadowed the performances by top artists ExQ, Killer T, and DJ Tamuka. While ExQ was confirmed to have performed, confusion reigned among those outside, with some fans claiming Killer T never took the stage.
The event, which had earlier drawn massive attendance from across Manicaland Province, ended in disarray as police and military police struggled to control the restless crowd.
Many fans later took to social media to vent their anger, calling for better crowd management and organization at future events.