“I’m Just a Chef”: Zim Chef in Norway Says He Was Wrongly Linked to Sandton Restaurant Threat Video
- A viral video from VLAMO Restaurant in Sandton showed a man threatening women in a restroom after they rejected his advances
- Social media users and some media coverage named the wrong man, and a Zimbabwean chef in Norway says he has nothing to do with the video
- Authorities have named businessman Lawrence Chamurwa Mudzinganyama and opened a criminal case, while the SANRAL contract of his company is under scrutiny
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Source: Getty Images
JOHANNESBURG: A video filmed inside VLAMO Restaurant at Sandton Gate has triggered a criminal investigation, but the question of who is actually in the footage has become clouded by confusion and mistaken identity online.
The clip allegedly shows a man following a woman, her sister and their aunt into the restaurant's powder room after they rebuffed his advances. Inside, he reportedly threatens the women while boasting that his wealth and political connections make him untouchable. Restaurant staff and security eventually removed him after he allegedly threatened the restaurant owner as well.
Who is in the video?
South Africa's Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster has named the man as Lawrence Chamurwa Mudzinganyama, Founder and Executive Chairman of Moriel Infrastructure Group. Authorities have urged the affected women to formally report the incident and said the footage could prompt a review of his firearm licence.
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However, the name was quickly muddled by social media users and some media coverage. People searching for "Lawrence Mudzinganyama" landed on the LinkedIn page of a different man, a professional chef currently working in Norway, and his name and career were pulled into the outrage.
The chef responded with a public video, saying he was surprised to find himself trending.
"I'm just a chef," he said, adding that he does not own any companies.
He asked people to delete posts carrying his photos and to look for the right person. He has no middle name and, by his own account, no connection to the businessman.
The mix-up shows that the man in the footage was not who many people online, and some coverage, first said he was. It has also prompted debate about crowd-sourced identification and the harm done when outrage moves faster than verification.
SANRAL tender under the spotlight
The attention has also turned to Moriel Infrastructure Group's state-funded work. The company was recently awarded a R71.55 million tender by the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL) for road training and construction management in the Eastern Cape. Following the video's circulation, observers and commentators have called on SANRAL and other partners to review their relationship with the firm.
Outrage has intensified across social media posts, partly because of South Africa's heightened national sensitivities around gender-based violence.
@tiredfeminist_ wrote:
"How are you supposed to take precautions against men who don't want to accept rejection? How are you supposed to take precautions against them following you?"
@Fez_Matsebula noted:
"He deleted his LinkedIn 😭. He's the founder of Moriel Infrastructure Group..."
@Curvyliciouslyy said:
"It is a sad state of affairs when a man thinks he can use intimidation towards a woman because she refuses his advances. His mindset is wrong from the outset."
See the video from the chef here:
More on GBV in South Africa
- Briefly News recently reported on a survivor of a brutal 1994 attack who broke her silence on SA's GBV crisis and compared the government's response to another national crisis.
- On 18 September, Booysens police members paused for a moment of silence for GBV victims, with senior officers leading prayer and reflection.
- After winning a FIFA Cup match, a Mamelodi Sundowns coach used his post-match press conference for a tribute that had nothing to do with the scoreline.
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Source: Briefly News
