An Eastern Cape municipality has ordered a halt in alcohol sales ahead of the funeral of alleged extortion kingpin Yanga ‘Bara’ Nyalara, who is set to be laid to rest this weekend.
Intsika Yethu Municipality issued a note about the temporary suspension of liquor licences on 1 March, being the day of the funeral and 8 March, being the day of the traditional ceremony that takes place a week after the burial.
Taverns and liquor stores will operate but close earlier on 2 March and 9 March.
The note reads: “Intsika Yethu Local Municipality with its external stakeholders, South African Police Service and ProJOC to advise that all liquor outlets to temporarily suspend the business operations on Saturday, 1 March and 8 March 2025 due to security concerns at Intsika Yethu local municipality.
“It is in the interest of the safety of citizens as it is the responsibility of various sectors to ensure the safety of the community.
“It is against this background that all the liquor stores and taverns close early on Sunday 2 March and 9 March 2025 at 12pm.”
The municipal spokesperson Zuko Tshangana said they were driven by the police and crime intelligence.
Meanwhile, police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa said: “We have deployed more officers in the area due to the funeral service of Yanga Nyalara.”
On Thursday taxis filled with mourners and supporters of Nyalara drove from Site C in Khayelitsha to Cofimvaba for the burial.
The former teacher-turned-taxi boss was killed on 20 February during a shootout in Ndabakazi, Butterworth. He had been driving from a taxi association meeting in Cofimvaba with his personal bodyguards.
National Commissioner Fannie Masemola confirmed that Nyalara was killed.
“Police were pushed off the road on Thursday and they tried to stop those cars, and as a result, the three vehicles started shooting at the police.
“Seven people were declared dead; it was discovered that one of them was Bara, there was a report on the same day on the route, that the same group of cars pushed off a traditional leader.”
Eastern Cape spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa confirmed that the number of the suspects who were fatally wounded has increased to seven.
“The other vehicle was stuck in the river banks, and the SAPS K9 Search and rescue team was summoned, and one body was retrieved from the river. The death toll mounted to seven deceased. Police recovered four AK-47 rifles and two pistols. The investigation is ongoing.”
Nyalara had a controversial history, having been released from custody on November 26, 2024, after spending nearly two years in jail for the murder of 18 people. He was acquitted in July 2024.
He died while out on bail for a rape charge in Khayelitsha and a cash-in-transit case in Libode.