A crew from the SABC was caught in the crossfire of a heated exchanged between two factions of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) on Wednesday.

SABC broadcaster Leanne Manas tweeted: “Abrupt and frightening end to our broadcast from Sharpeville cemetery as two factions of the PAC stormed in front of our cameras and started threatening each other violently. Thanks to amazing crew for shielding and running me out of there! Ducked a few blows. See y’all tomorrow.”

The SABC was broadcasting from Sharpeville in commemoration of Human Rights Day on Wednesday.

Human Rights Day commemorates the anti-pass demonstration outside the Sharpeville police station near Vereeniging on March 21‚ 1960 where 69 people were killed and close to 200 people were injured. Protesters marched to the police station to hand over their passes and demanded an end to the pass laws before the police opened fire on the crowd.

SABC journalist Aldrin Sampear tweeted: “PAC has two factions marching in opposite directions on one road in Sharpville‚ commemorating the same.”