Film and Publication Board Threatens R500,000 Fine for Resharing Zanzou Violence Videos

• The Film and Publication Board warned members of the public against posting and reposting violent and sexual videos on social media
• Its warning came two days after a former Zanzou bodyguard shared videos of a group of young men who were gruesomely tortured
• The board said anyone found guilty of sharing the content will be slapped with a hefty fine

With nine years’ experience, Tebogo Mokwena, a current affairs writer for Briefly News, provided insights into the criminal justice system and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.

CENTURION — The Film and Publication Board (FPB) has issued a stern warning to South Africans who share videos of the gruesome torture three young men experienced at Zanzou in 2023. A stiff fine or imprisonment awaits those who reshare the videos.

What did the Film and Publication Board say?

The FPB posted a warning on its Film and Publication Board Facebook page on 19 February, two days after the videos of the incident took place, in which three men were subjected to sexual violence. It noted that it is a criminal offence to distribute videos which show disrespect and a disregard for human dignity.

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The board added that anyone who is found guilty of the offence of publishing the videos will be fined between R300,000 and R500,000, a maximum prison sentence of five years or both.

"Acknowledging that the initial distribution of such restricted content in question appears to be with the intention to report such an incident, continuous sharing of such content will result in an offence being committed as already alluded to the above," they said.

The board said its role was to protect kids from harmful content and provide adult audiences with information that won't expose them to potentially offensive content.

The public has been cautioned not to share these and other videos or photographs of a sexual nature on social media without the content of the people in the video, and if this warning is not heeded, the guilty offender will be given a hefty fine, imprisonment or both.

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A timeline of the Zanzou incident

• Shortly after the videos of the three men went viral on 17 February, the South African Police Service announced that the victims came forward and laid charges against the establishment's owners, while the police launched a hunt for the suspects
• The club's former shareholder said he cut ties with the establishment in 2021 and distanced himself from the incidents that happened, insisting that he sold his shares
• The MK Party's student movement in Tshwane went to the establishment, where they busted a truck trying to remove stock and equipment from its premises, which they blocked
• The bouncer who released the videos begged the government for protection and said he had more incriminating videos

Zanzou's liquor license revoked, establishment closed

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the Gauteng Liquor Board took action against Zanzou. It revoked its liquor license pending a criminal investigation into its criminal activities.

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The board also condemned the club's actions and said that the establishment was closed down. The club was also operating illegally and did not comply with various municipal bylaws.

Source: Briefly News