Byo bouncers attacked at Davido Hre concert

By Bongani Ndlovu

Bulawayo Scorpions, a crew of bouncers from the city who provided security at the Davido 30 Billion concert in Harare, were involved in a nasty altercation with their Harare counterparts at the weekend.

Fifteen Bulawayo Scorpions had travelled to Harare on Friday to shore up security at the show at the invitation of show organisers, 2 Kings Entertainment and Ginimbi.

As they conducted their duties, a fight broke out at the HICC VVIP entrance after six bouncers from Harare allegedly started attacking the Bulawayo Scorpions as they demanded to be let into the venue for free.

A scorpion, Themba “Nyamazana” Lunga said the Harare bouncers were bitter because the Bulawayo crew had been hired ahead of them.

“Those guys were just bitter that Ginimbi had hired us instead of them. It’s a well known fact that Harare bouncers are dishonest and work for their pockets. Even the show organisers in that city no longer want them because they pocket gate takings.

“Ginimbi wanted security that wasn’t known by Harare people and he chose us,” said Nyamazana.

He said contrary to media reports that six bouncers stormed the premises, there were actually more than 20.

“These guys were armed to the teeth. They had steel pipes, knuckle dusters and other weapons that they wanted to use on us. I counted over 20 of them and the group was menacing.

“We fended them off and we found out later that the gang of bouncers had recruited people from Mbare to cause trouble. ”As a result of the melee, Undertaker, one of the Bulawayo Scorpions, suffered a deep gash on his forehead after being punched by one of the bouncers who reportedly used a knuckle duster.

Terminator, who also provided security at the show, blamed the police for not arresting the violent bouncers.

“Police did nothing; they just stood there and watched as if they were watching a movie. They even ordered Fawcett, the security company that had been hired, not to use the dogs that they had for security,” said Terminator.

He said the Harare bouncers, whom he said were from Mbare, had grudges with some of the bouncers who were at the HICC.

“When they got to the VIP entrance, they demanded to be let into the venue saying they wanted to see Mugo. Mugo is one of the bouncers that we work with from Harare as we do not go it alone at these shows.

“These bouncers were likely frustrated because they usually move around with Ginimbi, but at the Davido show, he dropped them because of their rowdy behaviour. Instead of people buying tickets for $40, these bouncers can charge half price and pocket the money at the expense of the promoter,” Terminator said.

However, Terminator said they were able to deal with the rowdy bouncers who eventually made their way into the venue through the general entry points.

“They got in but didn’t stay long as Mugo was in the VVIP section and they couldn’t access him.”

Ginimbi, by hiring the Bulawayo Scorpions to man the entry points, was likely trying to avoid falling into the trap that the late Prince Tendai was snared in, in 2010 when he recorded massive losses after the Akon and Sean Paul show.

Thousands of people attended that show but bouncers apparently let people in for paltry amounts and pocketed most of the gate takings. Davido’s debut show in Belgravia a few years back also suffered the same leakages when bouncers were seen letting in fans for small amounts.   The Chronicle