One man was killed and three hospitalised after an attack at a street bash that the City of Johannesburg had not given approval for.
The organisers of a street party in Soweto are set to be held liable after a 19-year-old was killed as the event wound down.
A violent altercation at the Shaun 101 Street Bash in Diepkloof forced the Johannesburg municipality to declare that unauthorised parties would be shut down this festive season.
Organisers of the street bash defended their operational plan, and the musician tied to the event stated he would cooperate fully with police.
‘No police visibility’
The Department of Public Safety stated that the incident occurred on Thursday morning while attendees were leaving the Shaun 101 Street Bash.
Gang members are alleged to have robbed and assaulted the party-goers, with another group retaliating.
In what the department referred to as an act of mob justice, one young man was shot dead, and three others were taken to the hospital after being severely beaten.
Public Safety MMC Mgcini Tshwaku stated on Sunday that the event organisers had not obtained permission from the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) to host the event.
“There was no police visibility or patrols during and after the event. The event organisers, by law, will be held accountable.
“No event can be held without the approval of JMPD and the City of Johannesburg,” stated the department,” the MMC said.
Private security present
In a statement posted on Shaun 101’s social media accounts, the organisers said the incident occurred “a few streets away” from the venue and that the event had officially ended.
They added that the alleged perpetrators were not official attendees of the event because they did not have the wristbands required for entry, and that admittance was monitored by private security.
“For the protection of patrons, a comprehensive security plan was implemented for the event, including private security personnel and coverage across the majority of the perimeter surrounding the venue.
“At the time of the incident, no security breaches or safety concerns had been reported within the event footprint,” the organisers stated.
Tshwaku’s department said there would be a zero-tolerance approach to unauthorised mass gatherings, with arrests for non-compliance.
“The City of Johannesburg will not allow street bashes for the entire festive season.
“Any unauthorised or non-compliant events will be shut down immediately, and organisers will be held fully accountable under the law,” stated the department.
Event hosting guidelines
The city has a 26-point checklist for those applying to host an event that incorporates municipal infrastructure.
The department advised that two types of venue protocols applied to public entertainment gatherings.
One was for a party in a closed venue, where fire, electrical, structural, and evacuation certificates and plans needed to be submitted to the city.
The other was an event at the stadium, where the city approves the plans and stadium management coordinates proceedings.
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