A battle to take control of security at nightclubs has intensified with scores of men being brought into the city centre each night to ensure a rising faction in the underworld is allowed to take over bouncer operations at establishments.
Sources say a club where an employer who did not want to allow the faction to control its security was vandalised in the early hours of Saturday.
Police were not immediately able to confirm this.
Security at clubs has been a long-standing issue in Cape Town with several high-profile businessmen vying for control.
The 'ruthless lions'
One faction has been in control of the majority of clubs in Cape Town for years. However, a rival faction has recently moved to overthrow it.
On Thursday night, according to sources, security at about 25 clubs in the city centre were effectively hijacked by the rival faction, which they say has tasked several Russian men with helping them.
Nafiz Modack, who was previously linked to an alleged scam involving luxury cars, is apparently the ringleader of the grouping.
Asked on Friday via email if it was true that he and his allies had taken control of security at at least 25 clubs, Modack replied, "All the owners agreed and it will create jobs for the local people, and security ,who was neva given the opptunity to work in there own home town [sic]".
A number of clubs previously employed foreigners as security.
Modack said his intentions were good.
"Clubs scene will be made safe again and for people to be protected in them."
News24 has seen photographs of Modack, with the brother of a suspected gang boss, as well as a third man, who sources claim is linked to international organised crime, in various clubs with scores of men surrounding them.
A source said they call themselves the "ruthless lions".
The photos appeared to have been taken in the early hours of Saturday.
Major power shift
Their taking over of nightclub security marks a major power shift in the underworld, with the previous prominent faction being toppled.
Sources have told News24 that the leaders of the previously powerful faction have since early Saturday been banned from clubs in town.
If that faction's security guards are not allowed to work for the new faction, threats were made that those clubs would be vandalised or even torched.
News24 understands the tussle over the lucrative nightclub security industry started earlier this week at auctions involving two of Modack's properties in the northern suburbs.
A massive brawl had broken out at the second property in Parow on Wednesday.
Controversial businessmen, including Mark Lifman and Andre Naude, who previously ran a nightclub security operation which was shut down as it was not registered as required by law, were present when this had happened.
Lifman's presence at the auctions had apparently rubbed Modack up the wrong way.
On Wednesday Modack had admitted to News24 that this had led to a further clash - several men had later gone on to try and storm a strip club in the city centre to take over security.
"I did warn them u wana take wats mine il take wats yours 2nyt an I dun just that , im no gangster im a businessman and only fear god no one else [sic]," Modack had said.
Police have told News24 they are aware of a businessman and his allies going around to establishments to take control of security operations.
"The Cape Town Central police are aware of the matter but no criminal cases were reported," police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana said on Friday.