A group of at least 30 people staged a picket outside Harbour Island in Gordon’s Bay on Saturday 27 January following an alleged racist incident at the marina where a member of popular music group TKZee, Zwai Bala, his brother and a group of friends were allegedly racially abused.
Bala said in a statement that has now been widely circulated on social media that the incident occurred at a restaurant at Harbour Island on Saturday 6 January.
According to the statement from Bala, his brother Lwando was taking pictures of the scenery when a group of white men allegedly attacked him and stripped him of his Masai blanket and called him the K-word. The suspect, who cannot be identified until the magistrate makes a decision, was the only person of the group arrested.
“I will not rest until I see justice that is just and consequences that are sufficient for addressing this kind of behaviour and idiotic sense of entitlement by South African racists,” stated Bala.
The matter is due at Strand Magistrates’ Court again on Wednesday 7 February.
The picket on Saturday was organised by Xolani Diniso, Ward 86 councillor and ANC Helderberg head of mobilisation.“We met with the owner of the restaurant and he is distancing himself from the racist behaviour,” said Diniso. “To all Helderberg people, black and white, let’s all rise and confront this demon of racism that is taking place in Gordon’s Bay. There are a few white racist buffoons in our basin who have taken a posture that they will make our beloved Helderberg a topic for all the wrong reasons.
“We must hunt these racists and report them to police and the Human Rights Commission,” said Diniso, and urged everyone to attend the court case next Wednesday.”
