I was wondering when the 90-day visa-free agreement with Russia would turn dark.

Since the change in the visa regulations, “scores of Eastern European men have apparently been brought into the country to bolster the new leaders”, in a massive underworld coup in Cape Town’s nightclub security, reports News24.

Last week it was reported a “busload of people” were travelling to Johannesburg to take over the nightclub security – but this is what happened in Cape Town:

In one of the latest incidents, dozens of minibus taxis were intercepted outside a fast food outlet, along the N1 highway in Cape Town, in the early hours of Monday.

The occupants of the vehicles were allegedly armed and on their way to the city centre to try and regain control of clubs.

“Police questioned a group of people outside a fast food outlet at a Goodwood mall during the early hours of Monday morning,” police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Andrè Traut told News24.

“No case was registered and no one was arrested.”

Police intervened when the same group gathered outside a strip club in the city centre in the early hours of Sunday.

While some sources believe the coup has been long in the making, others suspect it is an elaborate scheme, involving police and intelligence operatives, to trip up some of the country’s most prolific underworld players, who have links to politicians.

So what does this have to do with Russia? I’m glad you asked. The takeover was carried out in the “early hours of March 31, the day after the visa-free travel was introduced between SA and Russia”, after the Russian Embassy had said in a statement that:

Protocol between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of South Africa on the reciprocal repeal of visa requirements for foreign travel passports… will come into force on March 30.

Under the Protocol’s provisions, citizens of Russia and South Africa travelling without the intention of working, studying or living in the other country’s territory, are free from visa requirements and can enter, stay or transit without a visa for a duration of up to 90 days.

Nafiz Modack, the main man leading the nightclub security group, was previously linked to an alleged scam involving luxury cars. But get this: when he was asked by News24 if he had brought a group of Russians into the country, Modack replied by sending an email with a smiley face. Then:

When asked what exactly this meant, he said: “It means they all around in cpt [sic].”

What even? But there’s more. According to sources (who are these people?), on the same day as the takeover, 25 men from Eastern Europe flew to South Africa to “back the new powerful grouping”:

The [sources] were said to be guided by a Ukrainian businessman based in Cape Town, allegedly with close ties to the underworld, who the Hawks are trying to track down.

This Ukrainian businessman was previously arrested for charges relating to intimidation.

An image of what appears to be a section of an online international plane ticket, with his name on it, was sent to News24 in a bid to try and prove he had travelled to fetch the group of men.

It is understood the Hawks are probing the timing of the takeover and the visa regulations being relaxed.

Since then, Modack has admitted to News24 that he brought in the men to “bolster club security operations”.

I would love to know the real reason why the Russia-South Africa visa-free regulation came about.

[source: news24 ]