Cape Town - With charges of assault emanating from an alleged racist incident at Hank’s Olde Irish Pub in Bree Street withdrawn months ago, both parties have maintained that the matter is still ongoing.
A complaint of racism and assault was lodged at the Cape Town Central police station against the owner of the establishment last year.
The incident took place on December 1, during First Thursdays at about 11pm.
In the police statement, the alleged victim, Thabiso Danca, said his white friend, identified as “Jordan”, entered the establishment while Danca was finishing a cigarette outside. When he was about to enter, the bouncer prevented him from doing so and questioned him.
“He said I can’t go inside if I am not accompanied by a white person. I asked him what he meant by that. He said black people steal and make trouble inside.”
Danca, who by then was joined by Jordan, questioned the bouncer over these remarks, which the bouncer said were a directive from the boss.
The following day, a friend, Christopher Logan, with five others, including Danca, went to the establishment at about 5pm to confront the owners, resulting in a physical altercation.
The EFF protested outside the pub days after the incident. The party also laid a racial discrimination case with the SA Human Rights Commission.
Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg said the matter was withdrawn in court.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Hank’s owner, Johnny Papadakis, said the accusations of racism had a significant negative impact on his business and reputation and he would be pursuing civil and criminal litigation against Danca and Logan.
Logan said he found the statement from the pub alarming, claiming that the police had cleared the owners of racism and that the allegations were fabricated for personal gain.
The pub’s statement claimed that following a nine-month investigation, authorities concluded that the allegations were “fabricated to exploit a situation for personal gain”. This, however, was not confirmed by the police.
Both parties were informed in April that the charges had been withdrawn.
“Police investigation found that on the night of December 1, 2022, the door personnel requested Danca’s identification to verify his age; Frank’s door policy is not (no one) under 21. He failed to produce a valid ID and was denied entry to the pub,” read the pub’s statement.
Logan said the racism matter was under way at the Equality Court.
“All what’s happened is that a few months ago, the assault complaint was laid against us and we counter-laid against them. The police withdrew both those. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) decided not to prosecute.
“We were informed in April that the NPA was going to charge the bouncer in the crimen injuria case – the racism case in regards to Thabiso’s treatment.”