Racism shakes Schuster's bones

2008-04-01 22:48

Virginia Keppler

Johannesburg - Filmmaker Leon Schuster and his team for the new film Mr Bones 2 packed up and left a holiday resort in Broederstroom in North West where only "white family and friends" were allowed.

Schuster and Anant Singh, the film's producer, also held talks with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) about the fact that the resort allowed only white people.

This was after resort owner Albertus Pretorius had admitted to Volksblad that he did in fact allow only white people.

Schuster shot parts of his film at the resort last week and would have been busy there for some time.

Schuster and Singh said in a statement: "We are taken aback by Mr Pretorius's comments and attitude.

"Our movie has an integrated cast with more than 50% black people.

"We do not support, nor excuse, racist policies."

At the entrance of the resort there is a sign with the words, in capital letters: "ENTRY ONLY FOR WHITE FAMILY AND FRIENDS".

Family was asked to leave

Pretorius said last week the sign had been hanging there for years.

In May 2005, a charge of racism was laid against Pretorius at the HRC.

This came after Dominic Black and his family had gone to spend a holiday at the resort.

Apparently, when Pretorius realised the couple had two black children, he asked the family to leave the resort.

It was decided in the verdict in the Equality Court in Brits that Pretorius personally had to apologise to Black and his family.

He paid Black R10 000, which Black then donated to the Nkosi Johnson Aids Foundation.

At the time, Pretorius also agreed to change the policy so that people of all races would be welcome in the future.

HRC spokesperson Vincent Moaga said they had approached the office of the MEC in North West and asked that the resort's licence be suspended.

Moaga added that they had had talks with Videovision Entertainment and had asked Videovision to break off all dealings with the resort.

He said it was clear the owners of the resort were "serious racists" and there wasn't any place for racists in the country.

"We may also have to go back to the Equality Court to address the issue because it means that nothing has changed since the last time we dealt with the resort in 2005."

- Beeld