Ayepyep Lifestyle closes down due to alleged threats from gang leader

Ayepyep Lifestyle in Cape Town has made a public plea for intervention as they are forced to close down temporarily.

The establishment claims that it has been threatened by Ralph Standfield, an alleged leader of the 28s gang.

According to a statement issued by Ayepyep on Wednesday, Standfield is trying to illegally gain a stake in Ayepyep Lifestyle and take full ownership of the establishment.

Ayepyep was started by the late Oupa “DJ Sumbody” Sefoka and his business partner Kagiso Setsetse.

“It is widely known that this man is fearless, and the whole city is terrified of him and consequently are scared to come out in public to expose how their lives have been threatened, or businesses have been extorted,” Ayepyep adds in the statement.

The statement also reveals that even though the establishment has opened a case and obtained a high court order restraining Standfield from coming near it, he has “continuously, through his wife Nicole Johnson and all his gangster employees, managed to always put a threat on the business and those associated with it.”

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Ayepeyep forced to close its doors

The establishment says it has exhausted all the options to get assistance and is now forced to close its doors. It also adds that it cannot afford to stay closed because of coercion from an extorter.

“We are exposing here a man that to all appearances seems to be above the law and a true menace to society. Unfortunately, the culture of reporting and exposing matters of crime in South Africa has little or fruitless results, … business people and society are afraid to report their experiences to the police.

“As this is our final attempt at getting assistance from our government, we hope that this attempt will assist us to resolve not only our predicament but the predicament of so many other businesses that are striving to have free and peaceful operations in our country that we love and care about so much.”

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