A large contingent of police were outside the Sharks Academy in Durban on Monday where a man with a firearm had been holding people hostage.

All hostages who were inside the academy had since managed to flee to safety and no one had been injured, said Superintendent Jay Naicker.

"He's alone in the house, everyone managed to flee to safety," he said.

Naicker said police were still trying to negotiate with the man, whose identity could not be revealed, to give himself up.

It also emerged that the man was earlier this afternoon involved in an accident but fled the accident scene, heading straight to the academy where he lives.

According to the Durban-based newspaper, the Mercury, the man is a member of the development team of the provincial rugby side.

He arrived at the house and crashed into a wall, entered the home and began drinking alcohol, becoming more belligerent as the afternoon wore on, the newspaper said.

At some point he reportedly produced a gun and began threatening his fellow players. Some of those who escaped from the home said they had the gun pressed to their chests.

The player apparently took two colleagues hostage in a room in the house while some of the remaining players took refuge in their own rooms. Those who could left the house.

The newspaper said police arrived at the home and negotiated the release of the two hostages, but not before the player fired about six shots at the officers.

Sapa

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