Daily Sun (September 29 2014) - THE KEY turns in the lock as you walk into the dark room at sunset and you don't get out until the sun rises.
But this is not a holding cell in a cop shop . . .
THIS IS A TAVERN AND YOU WILL DRINK UNTIL ALL YOUR MONEY IS GONE!
The tavern at Ratanda Hostel in Heidelberg, Gauteng is owned by a sangoma known only as Makhosi and patrons say you don't mess with him because he can strike you with lightning.
"Once you are in, you are in. You can't get out before 6am," said Simon Radebe, a visitor to the all-night tavern who had a black eye. He said he was
moered by the tavern owner after an argument.
"He's a bully. We have to do as he says. If you defy him, you are bliksemed with a knob- kierie and threatened with lightning."
He said he was not the only one who feared the sangoma.
Simon and other customers told Daily Sun the sangoma lock them in to make sure they spend every single cent they have. They can't leave until their pockets are empty.
"The residents in the hostel struggle to sleep and they want the tavern closed but they are also scared of the sangoma's
revenge," he said.
Daily Sun visited the tavern on Saturday morning and saw patrons locked inside. We spoke to the man at the door but he didn't want to say why the door was locked.
Another customer, Mohau Koto, said he was also beaten by the tavern owner when he demanded to leave.
The noise inside the tavern was too much to bear.
Makhosi, the owner, promised to strike the Daily Sun reporter with lightning if we interfered in his business.
"This is my tavern and no one is going to tell me anything," he said.
"Once I read the story in the paper the lightning is going to strike you!"
Constable Xolani Mkhize of Ratanda Police Station said they are aware of the tavern.
"Patrons used to open cases of assaults against him but later dropped them. We think they fear him but we urge victims to open cases to allow the court to deal with the matter."
See the Daily Sun mobi site for more on this and other stories....
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