An incensed man, who seemed possessed, went berserk in Thohoyandou last Wednesday, leaving a trail of destruction and terror in his wake.

The man, who is believed to be mentally challenged, charged like a buffalo whose calf had been taken away. He was not wearing a shirt and walked up and down the busy street, holding bricks in a threatening manner. He was fighting everybody in his way and also broke windows at one of the furniture shops.

The incident happened in the busy Post Office Street.

Terrified shoppers had to duck for cover as the man threw bricks at whoever tried to stop him. The man is believed to have gone to the furniture shop, claiming that he had received an SMS that he should come and collect a gift. The staff at the shop allegedly refused, saying they had no knowledge of the SMS.

The man allegedly threatened to burn the shop if he was not given his gift. He allegedly lit some papers with the intention of burning the shop, but was stopped from doing so by the shop's staff. He then left the shop for a while, only to come back armed with bricks and, without saying anything, started hitting the windows of the shop.

A large group of people gathered next to the shop, but the man did not stop what he was doing. He was hit by a passing vehicle at one stage but stood up and grabbed his bricks. A police van arrived and stopped next to the man, but he did not surrender.

With much resistance, the man was finally subdued and pinned to the ground before being taken to the police vehicle. “I have never seen such a powerful man. We tried to overpower him, but he did not surrender. We were concerned that he would harm people,” said an onlooker at the scene.

Staff at the shop kept mum about the incident. "We are not allowed to speak to the media. We are not in a position to comment," said a woman who seemed to be the new manager.

The police have confirmed that a case of malicious damage to property was opened and that the man was taken to the Tshilidzini Hospital for observation.