COMMENT: Bouncers are not above the law!

Nightclubs and entertainment venues need security. Bouncers play an important role in keeping order, preventing fights and protecting patrons, staff and property.

But wearing a security vest does not place anyone above the law.

The latest court case involving Bulawayo bouncer Jackson Mwanza is a stark reminder of the thin line between maintaining order and allegedly using excessive violence.

Mwanza is accused of repeatedly striking a man with stones until he lost consciousness.
He has not pleaded to the charge and remains innocent unless proven guilty.

What is concerning, however, is that this is not an isolated conversation about violence involving nightclub security personnel.

Over the years, similar allegations have surfaced in different parts of the country, including cases involving bouncers and security guards accused of assaulting patrons.

The recurring allegations demand greater scrutiny of how nightclub security is recruited, trained and supervised.

A bouncer’s responsibility is to de-escalate dangerous situations, remove unruly patrons where necessary and summon the police when a situation becomes criminal or too dangerous to handle. It is not to punish patrons.

There is a particularly dangerous culture that can develop when physical strength is mistaken for authority. A patron who is disorderly can be restrained, removed or reported to the police. They should not be subjected to a beating simply because a security guard believes they deserve it.

Nightclub owners and managers must therefore take responsibility for the people they put at their doors. Security personnel should receive proper training in conflict management, lawful restraint and the limits of their powers.

Complaints of excessive force should be investigated rather than dismissed as part of the job.

The police and courts also have an important role to play. Where criminal allegations arise, they must be dealt with through due process, regardless of the popularity or reputation of the accused.

Bouncers are there to protect people and property, not to become the law themselves.

No nightclub, no matter how popular, should become a place where patrons fear that challenging a security guard could result in violence.

The message must be clear: bouncers can enforce rules, but they must obey the law while doing so.