Popular eatery slams rumours of human trafficking, drugs against it
Police confirm no-one has disappeared
A senior manager at a cafe/bar in Woodmead, Johannesburg, has denied rumours of human trafficking and drugging of women at the establishment, saying the women mentioned in the now viral tweet had gone home safely.
“It’s not right that people can taint your establishment,” said the senior manager at News Cafe Woodmead, who did not want to be named.
On Monday, a Twitter user relayed a story of how they had allegedly seen two women collapse at the eatery then get carried out by bouncers and put into two luxury cars. The person said they tried to intervene but were unable to before the cars sped off.
The police said the accusations are not true and that noone has disappeared from the establishment.
The manager said it is the responsibility of the cafe to make sure inebriated customers got home safely.
“The two women were together and one of them asked us to call her partner. He came to pick her up and they were in his vehicle while waiting for the other woman’s brother to pick her up before going their separate ways,” he said.
He said police came to the restaurant to investigate the disappearance of a man and viewed the footage of the two women who were helped to their transport. The two womCyril en were tracked down by police who confirmed they were picked up by family.
“We take things like this very seriously... you can’t just post things on social media. We have been here for 16 years and people come and have a good time,” he said.
“All people needed to do was ask us what was happening.”
Police spokesperson Col Dimakatso Sello said two women who were allegedly seen “forced” into cars were in fact picked up by their families.
“Gauteng police have taken note of the viral tweet about two women who were allegedly forced into two sedans at a local nightclub in Woodmead.
“The validity of the tweet was investigated and it can be confirmed that the two women were not kidnapped but in fact picked up by their next of kin, contrary to what has been purported on social media.”
Sello confirmed that the man who was reported missing after last being seen at the same restaurant, died after being hit by a car.
“In another incident, a 33year-old Kgalelelo Tolo was reported missing after he was last seen leaving the same nightclub in Woodmead on Friday 29 April 2022. Unfortunately, further investigations revealed that Tolo was allegedly involved in a fatal hit-andrun accident while apparently walking back to his place of residence. His next of kin [have] been notified,”