Celani Sikhakhane
Guns, knives, ammunition, police uniforms and handcuffs are just a handful of the some of the weapons that police found when they raided a famous tavern in Ulundi, KwaZulu-Natal.
The operation, conducted on Tuesday afternoon by Zululand SAPS intelligence unit at Ebony Shebeen at Mbilane area in KwaZulu-Natal, came after a tip off about the weapons.
The Ebony Shebeen is one of the most famous taverns in Ulundi and often hosts tenderpreneurs, politicians and celebrities.
A police source told Scrolla.Africa that the tavern is known for being a safe haven for criminals. Three people including a cop attending a murder scene at the establishment were killed in 2015.
A community leader who did not want to be named said they have for years complained about criminality taking place at the tavern.
“We have safety concerns and people are being killed. We are glad that finally the police have come on board and exposed some criminal elements at that tavern,” he said.
The tavern is a few kilometres away from the Old KwaZulu-Natal Legislature in Ulundi.
KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Constable Thenjiwe Ngcobo said R70,000 worth of alcohol was also seized after the operation and the shebeen was shut down.
She also confirmed that the tavern owner was arrested and he will appear in court soon.
KZN was recently rocked by tavern killings that have taken 11 lives in July in Durban and Pietermaritzburg.
The Intelligence unit of the Zululand SAPS acted swiftly after the unit was criticised for sleeping on the job by failing to detect well-planned criminal activities, including the July unrest.
Image source: Supplied
