Videos depicting severe violence and torture purportedly carried out by Zanzou nightclub bouncers against patrons who allegedly failed to pay their bills have surfaced online, rapidly gaining widespread attention.
The videos are highly graphic and depict human rights violations, showing patrons stripped naked, tied to the ground, and whipped. The abuses captured in the circulating clips include kidnapping, torture, sexual assault, and attempted murder.
This incident has prompted the social media community to intervene and call for justice for all the victims involved. A Sandton law firm, Baloyi Inc., has urged the public on X to help trace the victims. According to Newzroom Afrika, authorities have also responded to the shocking incident, with National Police Commissioner Fannie Masemola encouraging individuals who experienced abuse at Zanzou nightclub in Pretoria to file a report at the Brooklyn police station.
In a released statement, the club attributed the incident to former security staff who allegedly used excessive force against suspected cellphone thieves. The management denied any prior knowledge of such dehumanizing practices at their establishment, stating that “an immediate investigation was conducted, resulting in the immediate halting of such actions as well as the dismissal of the security personnel responsible.”
However, their efforts at damage control were in vain after the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in Gauteng province called for the arrest of Stephen Cohen, the owner of Zanzou Club, and demanded the immediate shutdown of the premises.
“Such abhorrent behavior cannot be tolerated in a society that prides itself on upholding human dignity and justice. The EFF strongly believes that there is no reason whatsoever to justify the dehumanization of other people like that,” the party’s statement reads.
The EFF concludes by stating that the incident will be reported to the Human Rights Commission of South Africa to ensure that these gross violations are investigated and that Zanzou Club management is held accountable without fail.