Pharmacy chain store, Clicks says it will lay a formal complaint after a manager at the Boulders Shopping Centre, in Midrand south of Pretoria, told a customer that he was not dressed decently and asked him to leave.
In a video circulating on social media, the man is seen in traditional Ndebele attire.
At the entrance to a store, the man is confronted by another man – later identified as a centre manager – who asks him to leave.
Clicks, where the incident happened, says it has been left embarrassed by the centre manager’s actions.
The Centre Manager of Boulders and the Boulders Centre security demanded that the customer leave.
Our store manager intervened and asked the Centre Manager to leave. The customer was allowed to continue shopping.
We will be putting in a formal complaint.
— Clicks (@Clicks_SA) March 24, 2021
In a statement on its official Twitter account, Clicks says its store manager intervened and the man was allowed to continue shopping.
— Clicks (@Clicks_SA) March 24, 2021
In the video, the centre manager can be heard telling the customer that they’ve got a right of admission.
A woman, who appears to be the one filming the altercation can be heard saying: “This is Africa. You can’t tell someone what to do or what to wear at which mall.”
Saddest reality in Africa, I was subjected to inside the @Clicks_SA store at The Boulders Shopping Center. By the center manager, who said it was his shopping complex. I was told that I’m wearing inappropriate I must go & Omega risk solutions harassed me #NdebeleTwitter pic.twitter.com/klzmTQspJO
— #WeNeedAmaNdebeleOnTV (@thandomahlangu_) March 24, 2021
Social media reaction
Outraged social media users took to Twitter to express their frustration over the incident.
They have called for the immediate dismissal of the Boulders Shopping Center manager, who has been identified as Jose Maponyane.
Others have described the manager’s actions as ‘self-hate and disappointing’.
Former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela and Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula have also added their voices in condemning the incident.
Let Jose Maponyane be fired, him being a Black person does not give him a right to undermine another tribe or culture just because it’s not his… he must be fired, let others learn from this!!!#JoseMaponyane pic.twitter.com/CFfaI9Z9lw
— Our Land ?? (@sheriff_za) March 25, 2021
Jose maponyane must fall ! What were we wearing as Africans before di suit tse red ? Ne re le indecent with our blankets as Sothos? pic.twitter.com/yw2oyBThM2
— ♓️De la crème? (@Mercy25094266) March 24, 2021
Jose Maponyane might shift from Mall owner to jobless in less than 24 hours. He should be featured on ‘I blew it’#clicks pic.twitter.com/c9wTIJ6IMY
— Moses (@Moses_Buju_M) March 25, 2021
I am Tswana by blood and grew up Pedi. I’ve a good mind of going to buy myself two bottles of water at Clicks there Boulders dressed like this & go to give Jose Maponyane coupla lessons about embracing all African identities. Eurocentrism must fall and Afrocentrism must rise ✊?✊? pic.twitter.com/LJw2jerPSy
— Dimakatso David Mokwena (Phoyisa Bae) (@SelfieRunnerZA) March 24, 2021
What rubbish is this? He banna
— |Mr Fix (@MbalulaFikile) March 24, 2021
Additional reporting by Tshepiso Moche
