Eastern Cape resort probed for racism
2012-01-12 12:31
Johannesburg - An Eastern Cape resort is being investigated for not allowing a black child to enter its premises, the Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency (ECPTA) said on Thursday.
The 11-year-old boy was to have gone to the Lapel Lê resort in Cintsa on January 7 with a 12-year-old white friend and his family.
"The white boy's mother... said that despite paying for a six-day holiday for two adults, her son and his friend, when she called ahead she was informed that the son's friend would not be allowed on the property," said ECPTA spokesperson Veliswa Mhlapo.
"The mother was reportedly told that only blacks who are workers at the site were allowed entry and the black child [could] not join the family for the holiday," she said.
Mhlapo said ECPTA chief executive Sybert Liebenberg had set up a team to investigate the resort.
A separate incident was reported at a resort near Port Elizabeth earlier in January.
"Currently, we do not have details on that case, but will know more next week," Mhlapo said.
A report on the incidents would be made public on January 25.
"Through this investigation will be able to determine if these are indeed tourism facilities that are registered with the ECPTA as tourism products, then we will use the legislation and our mandate to deal with them accordingly," she said.
Liebenberg said ECPTA would ensure that similar incidents could not happen again.
"We will not tolerate racism in any shape or form. We cannot tolerate this negative effect on the Eastern Cape tourism brand," he said.
- SAPA
