By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela has condemned the racial incident that happened on Christmas Day at Maselspoort Resort in the province.
Ntombela said, I have instructed the Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC, Makalo Mohale to deal with the matter with the urgency it deserves and engage law enforcement agencies. Racism and such barbaric actions have no place in our province.
Mohale said: “The incident has been identified as one element that remains a threat to the revival of the tourism sector. Therefore, we urge our communities to report any incident of racism to law enforcement agencies and continue to play a role in assisting the police to ensure that perpetrators are brought to book.”
A video of the racially-motivated confrontation has gone viral on social media.
In the video, a white man is seen slapping a 13-year-old boy, who is then thrown back into the pool when he tries to get up. The man then appears to try to choke the 18 year old.
Attempts to break up the confrontation fail and the situation escalates when another man pulls the younger teen’s hair.
A scuffle then ensues with one man pushing one of the boys into the pool and seemingly trying to keep his head under water.
The video ends when a man drags the older teen by the head in the pool.
It is reported that the white men tried to prevent the black teens from using the swimming pool at the resort.
Family came to spend the day @ MASELSPOORT RESORT & CONFERENCE CENTRE in Free State. My brothers were attacked by these grown men because they are apparently not allowed in the pool as it’s reserved for the “white people” here.
The Oranje-Vrystraat we love ??
Merry Christmas pic.twitter.com/ac4UPZ05ey
— TWIN FL?ME (@Tumii_Frost) December 25, 2022
Free State police spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said police were called out on Christmas Day, at 15:00 to “a fighting incident taking place at a holiday resort in Bloemfontein”.
“On arrival members found the groups already dispersed and were approached by a parent of one of the victims who alleged that his two teenage boys, aged 18 and 13, were assaulted by a group of white males over the usage of a swimming pool,” said Makhele.
“Glen police are investigating a case of common assault, and the docket will be taken to court for decision. The suspects, who are all white males as seen on the video circulating, were warned to appear in court on a date to be set by the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s court,” Makhele added.
Minister of Tourism Lindiwe Sisulu said she has noted with utter disgust of a racism attack by a group of white men on black children.
Sisulu added that she supports all steps taken by the Free State pronvicial government, including office of the premier and said incidents of racism afftect the tourism sector, which is recovering from the Covid-19.
Meanwhile the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Free State strongly condemns the violent incident involving adult men assaulting children at a resort.
“We must be united in our condemnation of all acts of violence in our province and country. We must allow the law to take its course in the fight against all crimes, no matter what the motivation behind them.”
The Economic Freedom Fighters has also condemned the alleged racial attack of two black teens by a group of white men at the Maselspoort Resort outside Bloemfontein on Chrismas Day.
“We believe these actions of racism are being perpetuated by the ANC due to their lack of decisive action as well as a rubber glove approach to racist conducts in the province”, the party said.