Pub in Cape Town Called Out Over Alleged Racism Incident
18:30 GMT 05.12.2022 (Updated: 05:51 GMT 06.12.2022)
© AP Photo / Themba Hadebe
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In South Africa, the country with the highest percentage of citizens of European descent on the continent, racism is still an acute problem, almost three decades after the end of apartheid.
Hank’s Old Irish Pub in Cape Town was called out for purported racism after a video of an incident was published on social media. In the clip, which has gone viral, Christopher Logan, a white man, confronts the pub's owner after Thabiso Danca, Logan's black friend, said he was denied entry by the establishment's staff.
According to Danca, the pub's bouncer told the black customer that he had to be accompanied by a white person to enter, citing Hank’s Old Irish Pub’s right of admission policy. The staff also allegedly claimed that people like Danca "steal and caused trouble."
WARNING STRONG LANGUAGE AND RACISM: The owner of Hank’s Olde Iris Robert Southworth allegedly turned away black customers if they aren’t “accompanied by a white person”.
— Future_President (@Better_SA2030) December 5, 2022
SADTU ActionSA Thuli Madonsela Nasrec Mashaba Whites SAPS Gauteng OR Tambo Sbu Nkosi Lamola #Uyajola99 Bonga pic.twitter.com/lTf6nPTe2C
Later, the pub issued a statement on the matter. It said that during its 30-year history, its staff has never been instructed to allow or prohibit entry based on skin color.
The pub also noted in the statement that an internal investigation of the incident had been started. The establishment added, however, that a case of assault had been opened against Logan and Danca.
“We want to place on record that we are extremely concerned for the well-being and safety of the staff involved. Therefore, we will not be commenting any further while we conduct an internal disciplinary process about these allegations and the police conduct their criminal investigation into the case of assault opened against the individuals making accusations in the video,” the owners said.
