The Black People’s National Crisis Committee has organised a sunset protest at Clifton’s Fourth Beach in Cape Town for Friday evening. This follows an incident on Sunday when security guards of a private company told a group of picnickers to leave the beach because it closes at 20:00. The incident has sparked widespread outrage.
Spokesperson for the group, Ncedisa Mpemnyama says they plan to slaughter a sheep to cleanse the beach of racist spirits.
“White racists think that those spaces are for them only. Reclaim Clifton is about that precisely to resituate black people in these supposed white areas because we think black people are the majority; they own the whole country and no space must bar black people owing to racist stereotypes.”
Mpemnyama says that the organisation does not need permission from the City of Cape Town regarding its evening protest action.
“We have talked to the city and they never were forthcoming so if people want permission from us to march they must also get permission from the racists not to be racists. We are committed young people who want to see a change and we are not to be held back by funny laws that were made during apartheid that want to contain resistance to racism. Why should we get permission from the City of Cape Town?”
Mpemnyama also says that it will be a peaceful event.
“Why do people always think that when black people are in these spaces they are going to be violent? These deep seated fears about the congregation of black people these; are things from apartheid, the swartgevaar phenomenon. We must move away from this. If we are saying we are leadership we are going to be there to make sure that the people are not rowdy, why should people worry? What is this generalisation of black people that when they are together they cant govern themselves? Its wrong. Its an idea that should be cast away and dismissed with the deserved contempt it has to be given.”
Deputy Police Minister Bongani Mkongi is expected to visit Clifton’s Fourth Beach on Friday to gain first-hand knowledge of the situation on the beach.
A spokesperson for the Deputy Minister, Siyabulela Tom, says that private securities cannot have control over public spaces.
“We believe strongly that it can’t be that private securities will then have control over our public spaces, the Deputy Minister will upon his visit interact with beach-goers also to convey the message of safety from the side of the police.”
The security company, Professional Protection Alternatives, has denied that it closed the beach and insists that it was done by the city’s law enforcement officials, due to alleged criminality on the beach.
Watch associated videos below:
