Zanzou Lounge torture videos: A missing man has been spotted in one of the clips, presumably dead.
Image: Oupa Mokoena / Independent Newspapers
South Africa has still not come to terms with horrific videos of men being tortured at Pretoria's Zanzou lounge in Gauteng. In a shocking development, one of the victims of the torture has come forward but, says he has no idea what happened.
Pablo, the whistleblower who has been posting videos depicting severe human rights violations at Zanzou, recently shared a new clip that shows a shirtless man lying motionless on the ground.
"Okay, so I just woke up to a video of me posted on X. I really don't want to be associated with this. But if that is what it takes to get it taken down, sure," the young man said.
He went on to explain that he used to work at Zanzou and does not want the video of him to be circulated.
"So, I used to be a promoter at Zanzou. Honestly, I don't remember what happened that night. I actually have the belt of mine that I was wearing that day. So, I know, that's me. But yeah, please, I do not want to be associated with this."
"They didn't deserve this," Pablo captioned the clip.
The man in the Zanzou video is still as another individual places their foot over his mouth and chin.
Netizens and sleuths had come out and said that the man in the disturbing footage is Kulani Shirinda, who was last seen on August 26, 2023.
The police had already confirmed that the torture occurred in 2023.
"We happened to learn that these incidents happened somewhere in 2023. We must clearly indicate that this incident constitutes some typical type of compelled rape, and it is not excluded from sexual assault to force individuals to perform sexual acts; assault GHB; crimen injuria and kidnapping," said Gauteng Lieutenant General Tommy Mthombeni.
The disturbing footage has once again caused outrage as netizens demand justice for all the victims. Lelo implied that the police have not done enough on X. "That Zanzou guy should just send all evidence to the police and also get arrested. It's getting weird now that he'll post one video a day, he said he has over 70. He needs to wrap it up, so people get justice."
Controversial music producer, Nota Maloyi commented: "Cases must be opened. What's Piano Man, Katlego Malatji saying since he left Zanzou after all this happened but never said a word about it? Why did he leave Neo Moela to take the fall on his own? Not reporting murder and paying local waiters to discredit whistleblowers is a crime?"
The pressure is mounting on authorities to secure justice for the victims and prevent such crimes from happening again in the country.
The first version of this story focused on missing man Kulani Shirinda who has a striking resemblance to the man in the torture video.
IOL