08 Nov 2018

Man in Ndebele garb wants to sue Gautrain after he was barred from boarding train

Pelane Phakgadi

Gautrain faces possible court action after a man dressed in traditional Ndebele garb was not allowed to board a train because he was not dressed "appropriately".

More than a week ago, Thando Mahlangu was asked to leave the operator's Park Station in Johannesburg.

His lawyer, Benny Buthelezi, told Talk Radio 702's Bongani Bingwa on Thursday that Mahlangu had been humiliated.

He added that "it is a point that needs to be ventilated at the highest level in-country".

During the interview, Buthelezi also accused Gautrain's top management of failing to deal with the issue and of supporting its security guards' decision to bar Mahlangu from boarding a train.

@TheGautrain I'm refused to bought Gautrain from park station to pta because I'm wearing IsiNdebele. I'm wearing my cultural clothing as the results I lost R4500, as I'm late for my appointment. @CyrilRamaphosa @Dailysunsa @EFFSouthAfrica @Julius_S_Malema @tumisole @AdvBarryRoux pic.twitter.com/zGayboJSA9

— #WeNeedAmaNdebeleOnTV (@thandomahlangu_) October 26, 2018

The one on the right was denied accessed. And on that very same day I was waiting for him in Hatfield to buy some Ndebele products he's selling, he couldn't even get there in time due to @TheGautrain
— Thokozani Toplos (@ThokozanToplos) November 8, 2018

Who decides what is appropriate clothing? A man wearing traditional Ndebele attire was prevented from boarding the Gautrain by a security guard. Beyond the cultural chauvinism of this example - who makes the rules anyway? #702Breakfast
— Bongani Bingwa - Broadcast Journalist (@bonglez) November 8, 2018

Mahlangu also wants compensation, claiming that he lost money he could have made from a business meeting he couldn't attend.

Gautrain CEO Jack van der Merwe told the radio station that he had apologised to Mahlangu.

But Buthelezi claims that the apology was only made through the media and social media.

Gauteng's Transport MEC Ismael Vadi also weighed in on the matter and said it was unacceptable that the 34-year-old was turned away simply because of what he was wearing.

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