Furor after bar in Cape Town, South Africa ‘banned black people from entering without a white escort’

The government today condemned alleged incident at Hank’s Olde Irish Pub

Thabisco Danca, 25, was allegedly denied entry without white escort, because ‘Black people steal and cause trouble in the pub’ 

Footage of the race tinged incident went viral – showing Christopher Logan who is white, and a friend of Danca, confronting a man believed to be the pub’s manager

The pub has described accusations as unfounded, instead accusing the complainants of being the aggressors who attacked their employees

South African government urged police to probe ‘with speed’ the ‘appalling’ and ‘racist incident’

‘It is horrifying and outrageous that the tendencies of apartheid South Africa keeps rearing its ugly head’ – Govt. spokesperson Phumla Williams‘ 

A Cape Town pub drew a rebuke from the South African government and widespread condemnation on Tuesday after it allegedly barred a black man from entering without a white escort.
The government urged police to probe ‘with speed’ the ‘appalling’ and ‘racist incident’, which it said saw 25-year-old Thabiso Danca denied entry at Hank’s Olde Irish pub in Cape Town.
It is horrifying and outrageous that the tendencies of apartheid South Africa keeps rearing its ugly head,’ cabinet spokeswoman Phumla Williams said in a statement.

Christopher Logan confronts manger of bar in who denied his Black friend Thabiso Danca entry at Hank’s Olde Irish pub in Cape Town, South Africa

News of the incident which happened on Thursday December 1, gained prominence after a video posted on Facebook went viral online showing a friend of Danca’s friend – Christopher Logan, who is white – confronting a man who is believed to be the pub’s manager.
The allegation by Logan is that Danca tried to enter the pub shortly after his friends during a night out in the touristic city, but was blocked by a bouncer who told him black patrons were admitted only if accompanied by a white person.
‘You don’t have the right to discriminate in this country, it’s a crime,’ Logan is heard saying, adding, ‘You don’t have the right to discriminate in this country, it’s a crime.’
Danca who was trailing friends into the when the allegedly became the victim of the racist incident happened said: “I went to the pub with a friend. My friend, who is white, went inside first. I was still outside finishing off smoking.
“When I tried to enter, a bouncer stopped me at the entrance and questioned where I was going.
I told him I was going inside the venue and that is when he said no I cannot go inside if I’m not accompanied by a white person.
“This came as a shock to me and when I wanted to know what he meant by that, he further explained that people of colour steal and are troublesome.
“While I was still conversing with the bouncer about the issue, my friend came outside because he couldn’t find me.

In the presence of my friend I asked the bouncer if this was his personal opinion about people of color or if it was what he was instructed to do,” said Danca.
When Danca’s pal asked why he was being prevented from entering the pub, the bouncer allegedly reiterated that the owners told him ‘not to allow black people inside because they steal and make trouble inside the pub.’
“well I’m with him and we’re friends,“ the friend said.
Danca says he was then “allowed inside because [he] was being accompanied by a white person,” adding
“I only stayed inside the place for five minutes or less, then left because it didn’t feel right to be there in a place I’m not wanted.”

Seeking clarification Logan said “I first called before we went there and one of the owners basically told me that they essentially can decide whoever they want to let in and I challenged the point, saying they could not make the decision based on race, according to South Africa’s laws.
According to him in the midst of the exchange one of the co-owners arrived, later joined by his partner, who then turned very aggressive.
“We were physically removed by the bouncers and attacked. We have handed the CCTV to police,” said Logan.
Danca said: “I was still in shock and felt humiliated because I was barred from entering the place in front of a crowd. 
“My concern is that many more people could experience this or have already but are scared to speak up.”

On Tuesday, the bar denied the allegations that Danca had been told to enter with a white escort.
The bar released CCTV of the alleged incident, claiming the men involved assaulted them.
The owners have since refuted the allegations, claiming that over the past 30 years of operating businesses, they had never instructed their staff to discriminate, whether on the basis of gender, sexual orientation or race.
‘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,’ they said.
The pub shut it’s doors, pinning a note to the front door the door reiterating that the accusations are ‘unfounded and unproven’.
The Hank’s Olde Irish Pub is alleging that the owners and staff have received threats and were physically assaulted by the ‘primary individual’ in the viral video.in the note. 

Police spokesperson Ndakhe Gwala confirmed that the owners opened a case of assault against Danca’s friends, which includes Logan, while Logan filed a counter complaint.
In a statement about the alleged incident, cabinet spokeswoman Phumla Williams, said: ‘It is horrifying and outrageous that the tendencies of apartheid South Africa keeps rearing its ugly head.’
It comes as South Africa remains deeply divided along racial lines almost three decades after Nelson Mandela came to power, vowing national reconciliation following the end of white-minority apartheid rule.  
Economic Freedom Fighters, a radical leftist party, called for a picket outside the eatery, saying that the incident was not an ‘isolated’ one but ‘structural and endemic.’