Shebeen-owner brothers battle ‘Menace of Tsakane’ police officer

Police officer Lawrence Kgomo is not called “the menace of Tsakane” for nothing.

For shebeen operator Thulani Manana, who has bumped heads with Kgomo in the Tsakane township near Brakpan – something that has cost him money, stock and customers – it has been a battle for survival.

While Manana expected Kgomo’s core business to be crime fighting in the neighbourhood – to the contrary, the policeman has turned on what the Gauteng economic development department has declared a “lawful shebeen”.

He has confiscated stock, imposed fines and closed down liquor businesses in the area, maintaining they are “illegal”. Manana is no exception.

Asked to respond on why he regarded Manana’s shebeen as “illegal”, Kgomo responded: “Yes, they are illegal. It is a long story.”

Months of waging an endless battle for the return of confiscated liquor worth R17 000 has proven futile, with Kgomo’s former boss at the Tsakane police station, Colonel Rajesh Ramlall, having sided with the police officer.

Ramlall has recently been transferred to the Springs police station.

In an audio recording, which is in the possession of The Citizen, Manana is heard making a case to Ramlall for the return of his stock.

Manana: “Kgomo must not say my permit does not exist and take my liquor. He needs to check with the Gauteng Liquor Board.”

Responds Ramlall: “I will not release your liquor based on Section 103 of the Gauteng Liquor Act. Your permit is no longer valid. There is a lot of corruption at the Gauteng Liquor Board. The Ipid (Independent Police Investigative Directorate) does not tell me what to do because we’re all at the same level.”

Documents in possession of The Citizen from the Gauteng department of economic development, which oversees the work of the liquor board, point to Manana’s shebeen as being legal.

Brothers Vusi and Thulani Manana go through liqour trading certificates during an interview with The Citizen in Tsakane, 19 June 2018. The brothers claim to be extorted by a Metro police officer who in one incident illegally confiscated alcohol worth R17 000. Picture: Refilwe Modise

A letter dated April 4 written by advocate Emily Sithole, the Gauteng department of economic development’s acting director: compliance and enforcement, reads: “On March 12, 2018, warrant officer Kgomo from Tsakane police station visited my office to verify permit number 6274 issued to David Manana [Thulani Manana’s late father]… I found the permit in question was available. I therefore confirm that shebeen permit 6274 … is valid.”

A 2015 letter from the Gauteng department of economic affairs also confirms the validity of Manana’s licence.

“Kgomo has become known as the ‘Menace of Tsakane’, who wants nothing else but to kill this township by closing down our businesses. This man is law unto himself and operates here as he pleases, with impunity. And nobody has touched him, not even a police station commander where we have attempted to lay charges.”

He said: “On March 9, 2018, around 12 o’clock, warrant officer Kgomo came with his crew to our business premises. Kgomo asked to see the permit. We produced the permit, then he went to the other room to make a call, claiming he was verifying the permit.

“After the call he instructed his crew to confiscate the liquor. We lost R17 000 worth of liquor. This consignment has not been returned by police till today.”

While many go to bed peacefully tonight, for the Mananas it marks the end of another stressful day.

– brians@citizen.co.za

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