Fresh details at Zanzou Nightclub where those can't pay bills are forced to have tlof tlof with beer bottles: cars confiscated, wheels removed

PRETORIA – A wave of outrage is sweeping across South Africa following the emergence of disturbing videos on social media depicting alleged abuse and torture of black men at Zanzou nightclub in Hatfield, Pretoria.

The videos have sparked widespread condemnation and calls for accountability, prompting investigations by the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).

The scandal erupted after videos, reportedly leaked by a former employee of Zanzou, began circulating online. The videos allegedly show patrons being waterboarded and sexually assaulted. The leaked material has prompted law enforcement to call on victims to come forward with information, leading three men to register a case at the Brooklyn police station.

Adding to the gravity of the situation, further allegations have surfaced regarding the ill-treatment of patrons at the hands of Zanzou bouncers. These allegations include the confiscation of vehicles from customers accused of failing to settle their bills.

News24 spoke to two individuals, who requested anonymity, who worked near the nightclub. They recounted witnessing bouncers confiscating customers' vehicles until outstanding bills were paid.

"It is not a secret that customers were ill-treated here," one of the men stated. He added that the incidents typically occurred between 22:00 and 05:00, when their shop was closed, and they would often find patrons negotiating with bouncers in the early morning hours.

The second man claimed to have witnessed bouncers removing the wheels from patrons' vehicles to prevent them from leaving. "Their wheels were only put back after the customers had paid," he alleged. He cited an incident in December when he overheard a patron saying he would find money to settle the bill while his car was being held and its tyres removed. The car was reportedly released after payment was made.

Both men spoke of a particular bouncer who was feared, especially by regular customers who were often university students. "I know X (bouncer) very well. He often visited our shop before Zanzou was opened for the day. He was feared even by his colleagues. He commanded respect. Regular customers, especially university students who frequented the place, didn't mess with him," the second man added.

#NotInMyName secretary-general Mandla Masango said the civil society organisation had interacted with the victims, who are believed to be related. He said the traumatised men, who were first-year students at the time of the incident in January 2023, had gone for a night out to celebrate the beginning of their university years. After their festivities, when the bill came, the group reportedly disputed a few items on their bill, which was not well received by the establishment, leading to their abuse.

Masango said: "It is alleged that there was a dispute over the bill, which led to their heinous torture and abuse." He added, "The victims have reported that they were shocked when the videos went viral. They thought the videos weren't going to be publicised. They don't want to speak further on the matter due to the stigma accompanying the incident."

The former Zanzou bouncer responsible for leaking the videos has also come forward, claiming that many individuals who worked at the nightclub were aware of the alleged abuse but were afraid to speak out. He stated that the owners were "highly intelligent and dangerous" and has appealed to the South African government for protection, fearing for his life.

X (formerly Twitter) users have been actively discussing how the whistleblower could be protected. Some users have suggested private sector protection, expressing distrust in the SAPS.

One user, @Lorenzomateod, wrote: "We need private sector to protect the guy cops will sell him to the dogs they can't be trusted many died under that witness protection program."

Other users have advised him to return to his home country for safety.

Zanzou's management has claimed that the videos are old and were part of an extortion attempt by a former security employee. However, this explanation has been met with scepticism, and many are demanding a thorough investigation into the allegations.

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has condemned the alleged acts of violence, torture, and dehumanisation at Zanzou nightclub, calling for swift action against those responsible. The Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development has called for the arrest of the owners of Zanzou nightclub, emphasising the need for accountability. The committee’s chairperson, Xola Nqola, expressed concern over the alleged incident and criticised Zanzou’s management for not laying charges when they first became aware of the alleged abuse.

The SAHRC has launched an "own accord" investigation into the matter, in line with its complaints handling procedure. The commission said it would engage the establishment to determine what steps were taken once it became aware of the abuse and why a case was not opened with the police.

"The commission will robustly engage with the owner of the establishment on detailed steps they have taken upon being aware of the incident, on why a case was not opened with the SAPS, as reported, as part of his managerial responsibility to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable, and on the institutional culture that might have led to this inhuman incident," the SAHRC said in a statement.

The commission also urged the public to refrain from sharing or forwarding images and videos depicting violence or abuse on social media platforms, warning that such actions could constitute serious offences under South African law, including crimen injuria.

The Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit is leading the investigation, focusing on charges of compelled rape, assault, crimen injuria, intimidation, and kidnapping. Brigadier Mathe confirmed that only three victims, aged 20, 21, and 22, had reported to the Brooklyn police station as of Monday evening.

"According to the victims, they were a group of five friends who were subjected to the abuse. Police are confident that the other two victims will be traced and their statements will also be included in the docket," she added.

The complainants allege that the incident occurred in January 2023 when a dispute arose between the five friends, bouncers, and the nightclub's manager. According to Mathe, "The bouncers and manager allegedly forced the five victims into a store room and began assaulting them, instructed them to insert alcohol bottles into their private parts and forced them to perform sexual acts on themselves."

Police are also seeking to locate Pablo, the former bouncer who leaked the videos, believing he could provide valuable assistance in solving the case. "Pablo has made numerous allegations and police are of the view that he would be instrumental in assisting police to solve this case," said Mathe.

City of Tshwane spokesperson Selby Bokaba said the establishment, formerly known as Moloko, was zoned as Business 1, which meant it could operate as a place of refreshment and not as a nightclub. "A place of refreshment is like a restaurant/pub where beverages are sold, and music can be played softly. In August 2022, we received a complaint that the establishment was trading as a nightclub, and our building inspectors conducted a surprise inspection which confirmed that the place had contravened the zoning certificate and was indeed trading as a nightclub," Bokaba said.

He added that the owners were issued with a 28-day notice to rectify the contravention and were found to be compliant during a follow-up inspection in October of the same year.

As the investigation continues, the SAPS is urging anyone with information related to the alleged abuse at Zanzou nightclub to come forward.