Businessman Stephane Cohen distances himself from Zanzou abuse

“I'm not the owner of Zanzou nightclub. I used to own the building before when it was Moloko. The [abuse] incidents there, it's giving me sleepless nights.”

So said businessman Stephane Cohen after video footage surfaced of patrons being abused at the nightclub.

Cohen runs a number of elite nightclubs in Johannesburg.

According to the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission records seen by TshisaLIVE, Cohen's name does not appear as the owner of Zanzou.

Cohen said he had no involvement in the management of Zanzou and he condemned the acts of violence depicted in the videos.

“I stand with the victims and encourage them to seek justice. I will not stand by while false allegations put my safety, reputation and livelihood at risk. I have already engaged with my legal team,” he said.

He said his other business ventures are under attack because of the belief that he's the owner of Zanzou.

“I've received information that political parties are to picket at some of my nightclubs to demonstrate [against] what happened at Zanzou. That's misinformation that has circulated to taint my name and businesses.

“I urge the media and public figures to be mindful of the power of their words. In this moment of public outrage we must think before we speak and verify before we act.”