PANDEMONIUM ensued in a Limpopo village after videos and pictures of men and women engaging in sexual conduct at Selahla Tavern, Ga Rakgara, Kwatang village in Sekgosese emerged.
In an otherwise conservative province, the community, including churches and a non-profit organisation, the Conty Lebepe foundation, expressed shock and outrage over the behaviour.
The foundation opened a case at Sekgosese police station against the owner of the tavern. Limpopo police confirmed the case number. However, there have been no arrests yet.
In one of the videos, seen by Saturday Star, a woman in a short skirt who had entertained the crowd earlier is seen lying down while a man is seen face down performing sex act on her.
A poster advertising the tavern's grand opening on Saturday, April 6, states, “Grand opening celebration”, presenting the name of the entertainer.
The foundation’s chairperson, Tlou Moabelo, said public indecency was a serious, unlawful act against humanity, and should be taken as a lesson and an eye opener for all liquor licence holders not to engage in any illegal ways to earn money..
“Our stance as a foundation is for the business licence of perpetrators to be revoked if and when found guilty. Liquor licence terms don’t include brothel practices,” she said.
Moabelo said the community was dismayed, startled and shaken that even after 30 years of democracy marginalised people were still treated like clowns and used as money-making objects.
The video has been doing the rounds on social media and it is alleged that a mentally challenged man was seen engaging in sex acts with a stripper.
“We call upon the police to have a deeper look at the owner of the tavern immediately if the aforesaid allegations are proven to be true. We understand that the tavern owner is pushing sales but on whose dignity?” Moabelo said.
She said the stripper is said to be from the Bolobedu area while the alleged mentally challenged man is from Mamaila Kolobetona Village. Moabelo called on the government to come to assist.
“The displaying of public indecency is an unlawful act. We would like to rope in the Limpopo Liquor Board to investigate the matter alongside the South African Police Service in Sekgosese.
“We further call upon the caregiver of the man to be responsible and ensure that the man is not doing what he is not supposed to do. In the video, the stripper is fully naked which can again contribute to the spreading of STDs as no protection is visible on both the man and the stripper while the entertainment was in motion,” Moabelo said.
“We also call upon all tavern owners to respect and follow the terms of their business licences as we will not tolerate any act of disrespect against community members. To the community members, let’s avoid sharing that video so that we can maintain the dignity of the stripper and the man,” Moabelo said.
The provincial commissioner of the SAPS in Limpopo, Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe, echoed the foundation’s sentiments.
She said the incident was reported to have occurred around 8.30pm on Sunday, May 5.
“A case of public indecency was opened for further investigation and the Limpopo Liquor Board was also notified for further handling.
“Members of the public are called on to resist the temptation of engaging in such immoral practices, especially in public places,” said Hadebe.
“We believe people going to liquor outlets are adults, so they should conduct themselves as such. They also have a responsibility to respect themselves and others at all times,” said Hadebe.
She called on the social media community to stop sharing the video.