Free State venue’s liquor license under review following video of bouncers beating man to death [VIDEO]   

A big rugby weekend held in Free State ended with a life lost outside an establishment in Westdene, Bloemfontein.

A video has been making rounds on social media, showing what allegedly happened during the deceased’s last moments alive outside the establishment, The Other Venue (TOV).

The Free State Gambling, Liquor, Tourism and Authority (FSGLTA) has since suspended the license of operation for 14 days, starting on 25 July 2024.

In the video, three men who are allegedly employed as bouncers at the establishment are seen assaulting the victim.

License suspension

Lefa Kalane, CEO at FSGLTA told The Citizen the license was suspended because of an incident involving violence.

“This is an incident, particularly the assault of a patron by staff members, which violated both legal and operational standards set by regulatory authorities,” he says.

The terms of the suspension include a temporary halting of operations for 14 days, during which the establishment must address and rectify the violations that led to the suspension.

He says there are three outcomes that the establishment can face after 14 days;

• Compliance and Reinstatement – the license will be reinstated should the establishment give strong reasons.
• Extended suspension – if the issues remain unresolved, the suspension period could be extended.
• Permanent revocation – The license could be permanently revoked should there be other severe or repeated violations that have taken place in the past.

“The investigation findings and the hearing with the FSGLTA’s board will determine if the establishment’s license will be revoked,” says Kalane.

He says the FSGLTA would like to emphasise its commitment to ensuring safety and legal compliance in all licensed establishments. “The community should know that we are taking the steps to address the incident and prevent future occurrences,” he says.

The arrests made

Thabo Covane, Free State police spokesperson says they have arrested two people in suspension of murder. On Monday, 22 July around 06:30 am, the police were called to a scene at Second Avenue, where they discovered a lifeless body of a man estimated to be in his 30s.

The deceased, who is still unidentified was found with a gash underneath the chin with severe assault wounds on the face and head.

“He was wearing lime-green sneakers, black track pants and a colourful hoodie,” he adds.

On Wednesday, 24 July, Covane says they arrested a 31-year-old man in connection to the murder. The second suspect, 27-year-old was arrested on Thursday, while more arrests have not been ruled off.

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TOV’s response

The establishment has since broken the silence. In a media statement, it said it could not disclose any information about the incident which took place on Monday morning. “By the order of Saps (South African Police Service), we cannot disclose any information. We continue to fully cooperate with the police.”

They have also expressed their sadness over the nature of the crime and said they do not condemn any acts of violence within their community. “On behalf of the management and all staff at TOV, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the victim’s family and trust that justice will be served.”

They have requested that any information leading to the identification of the victim or any information that may assist the Saps in their investigation be sent to Captain Jatta Moseme who can be contacted on 082 526 2713.