Following explicit videos that have been making the rounds on social media platform X, Zanzou Nightclub, located in Hatfield, Pretoria, has broken its silence.
The management of Zanzou issued a statement on Monday, saying it was aware of a video that depicts security staff using excessive and violent force in response to incidents of phone theft.
“At the time when management became aware of these practices, an immediate investigation was conducted, which resulted in the immediate halting of such as well as the dismissal of security personnel responsible,” reads part of the statement.
“In line with our commitment to ensuring a safe and secure environment, we have since outsourced our security services to a fully registered and compliant company that operates strictly in accordance with South African laws and legislation.”
Legal action considered
The management added that it was exploring legal options around the conduct of the former security employee responsible for the practices documented in the videos.
“Mr Herve has sought to unsuccessfully extort the business in lieu of withholding these videos from public release and has, as a result, formulated a dishonest narrative around the surrounding circumstances in an attempt to force the business to settle his demands. None of the videos in question are tied to patrons who failed to pay their bills.”
On Monday, the national commissioner of police, General Fannie Masemola, said he has directed the provincial commissioner of police Gauteng, Lieutenant-General Tommy Mthombeni, to track and trace the suspects who are alleged to have violently abused and assaulted a group of men at a popular nightclub in Pretoria.
Masemola also called on all people who were subjected to abuse and assault by the suspects to come forward and open cases at the Brooklyn police station, which is in the jurisdiction of the establishment, or at any nearest police station, wherein the case will be later transferred to the Brooklyn police station.
“The police are at this stage looking at various offences that have been committed, including assault, assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, crimen injuria, and kidnapping,” said Masemola.
“The actions depicted in the video also contravene the POPIA Act, in which they displayed and distributed the faces and bodily features of the victims.”
Incidents described as barbaric
Witnesses and those who have knowledge of the incident are also encouraged to come forward to assist police with their investigations.
Masemola has described the incident depicted in the videos as inhumane, barbaric, unacceptable, and degrading.
Mthombeni has since instructed the district commissioner of Tshwane to conduct a site visit to the establishment to gather more information and evidence.
A compliance inspection of the establishment will also unfold.
Masemola assured the public that the law will take its course and that the necessary resources will be deployed to assist in investigating this case and bringing the perpetrators to justice.
According to media reports, the owner of the club, Stephane Cohen, is a French national who currently lives in South Africa.
Cohen also owns Babel Restaurant in Menlyn, which topped trends in 2024 when a former worker exposed how workers were being exploited.
Cohen also owns a string of other popular nightclubs, including Montana, Opera, Sumo, Louis Club, Moloko, and Drama, among others.
Exploitation of workers exposed
In September, Employment and Labour Minister Nomakhosazana Meth revealed that Babel Restaurant failed to comply with a section of the National Minimum Wage Act in that the employer failed to compensate employees in accordance with the prescribed minimum wage rate for 2024, which was R27.58 per hour.
“The amount the employer owes the employees due to underpayment is estimated at R271 984.32 for cleaners and R295 547.28 for waiters and waitresses,” said Meth at the time.
“Waiters were remunerated only on commission and tips at Babel Restaurant and some
were remunerated with as little as R150 per shift, at a maximum of R300 per week,
which is far below the national minimum wage.
“The workers at Babel Restaurant worked 12- and 15-hour shifts daily, which is in
contravention of the daily and weekly rest period provided for in the Basic Conditions
of Employment Act.”
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