The civil rights initiative AfriForum described the media statement of SA National Parks (SANParks) in reaction to the complaint of racial discrimination submitted by AfriForum against it with the Human Rights Commission (HRC), as a disappointing excuse. The complaint ensued after two students were refused accommodation in the "People's Trail Hut" on Table Mountain because they are "white".

According to AfriForum it is a pity that SANParks, instead of apologising to the students and making it clear that all accommodation on Table Mountain is accessible to people of all races, now appear to cast doubt on the complainants personally.

Mr Stef Terblanche, father of the students, agreed with AfriForum and emphasised that he only wanted the assurance that all visitors would be equally welcome at a national asset such as Table Mountain. "My sons most certainly were turned away because they were white. If that is not racial discrimination, then what is? To date no-one from SANParks has acknowledged this or apologised to my sons. Instead of SANParks admitting it has made a mistake and rectifying it, they are now engaging in a spin-doctoring exercise which apparently seeks to portray me and my sons as "mistaken" or lying or as trouble-makers. Were it not for that, I would have long ago moved on and forgotten about the whole sordid affair." Mr Terblanche also pointed out several incorrect accounts in the statement of SANParks (details attached), well worth an apology by themselves.

According to Alana Bailey, Deputy CEO of AfriForum, SANParks' media statement offers no further explanation for the similar complaints received by AfriForum from other hikers, or for the fact that up to this week, SANParks' website made it very clear that accommodation and prices for the "People's Trail Hut" were specifically for people from previously disadvantaged communities. "If the tone of the media statement is any indication of the way in which SAN Parks handles complaints, it is no wonder that the public does not feel free to follow up problems with them," Bailey said.

All AfriForum, the Terblanches and other hikers want, is that the skin colour of someone should play no role when he or she applies to make use of any of the facilities of South African national parks. Sadly this assurance has not been given yet. Meanwhile the HRC has confirmed that AfriForum's complaint is being investigated.

Alana Bailey

Deputy CEO: AfriForum

BELOW:

• SANParks' statement (text);
• Mr Stef Terblanche's comments (bold text).

6 January 2010

Media Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

South African National Parks "surprised" at unreported racism allegations in Table Mountain National Park

Table Mountain National Park has recently come under fire in the media for alleged racism, related to its People's Trail Hut. According to media reports, two students were allegedly refused accommodation there because they were "white".

Not "allegedly refused" - they WERE refused because they ARE WHITE. That is what a SANParks official told my son. After the first media reports appeared, Gavin Bell of SANParks called me and I told him exactly this in a long telephonic discussion we had. Why does Reynold Thakuli of SANParks now try to make us out to be liars or cast doubt on this?

The complaint was apparently lodged with a civil rights group and then taken to the media.

I did not lodge a complaint with AfriForum or run to the media. I know Kallie Kriel and told him about the incident saying this may be an issue AfriForum might want to pursue, knowing the good work AfriForum does wherever discrimination rears its ugly head. As far as I know AfriForum issued a press release which alerted the media to the incident and various media thereafter called me and interviewed me and my sons.

South African National Parks [SANParks], which manages Table Mountain National Park, has to date, not received any formal complaint about the matter and was alerted to this through the abovementioned media reports.

It was never my intention to enter into a prolonged public dispute with SANParks. I merely hoped that if AfriForum pursued the issue with them, they would admit their mistake in applying such a discriminatory and flawed policy regarding this particular facility on Table Mountain and correct it. Also, I considered it to be useless to complain to the very body that was guilty of the discrimination in question, and SANParks' subsequent actions in trying to whitewash themselves with denials and outright lies instead of admitting their mistake and correcting it, proves me correct. Nonetheless, when SANParks' Gavin Bell called me after the first media reports, we had a long discussion around the issue with Mr Bell acknowledging that their website brochure regarding the People's Trail is misleading, giving the impression the facility is reserved for "previously disadvantaged groups" and that as that is not the case, a new brochure will replace it. He also acknowledged that it was wrong of the SANParks lady who answered the phone to have turned down my sons because of their race, and said he would pursue this, find out who the person on duty was, and take appropriate action. What more does Mr Thakuli of SANParks then need to constitute a complaint to SANParks? How can he now say with any measure of honesty that we have not informed them of the incident?

Reynold Thakhuli, spokesperson for South African National Parks said, "We understand that incidents of this nature can happen and we do have systems in place for dealing with this but what surprised us most, was that SANParks never received a formal complaint from the boys. The first we heard of it was through the media."

This is a distortion of the truth - see my reply above.

Despite not having received a formal complaint, SANParks launched an immediate investigation around these allegations which included trying to establish which of the various booking offices the call was made to and who would have taken the call. "This process is hampered by the fact that the complainants have not been able to provide us with a telephone number dialled from their cell phone and we have been informed by their father that the boys are still on holiday outside the country and cannot be reached," said Thakhuli.

Again a blatant distortion of the facts. I have repeatedly told Mr Bell of SANParks - and it was also reported in the media - that there was a number on a notice on the mountain facility in question which my eldest son, Etienne called. SANParks therefore knows exactly which number was called. I never told SANParks both my sons are out of the country and cannot be reached. I told Mr Bell that Etienne was in Namibia, but my other son was here in Cape Town with me. As it was Etienne who had called, I told Mr Bell it would be best he speak to Etienne upon his return and gave him Etienne's cell number. I also informed Mr Bell that my other son, Stiaan, believed, however, that Etienne had already erased the number from his phone. The day after Etienne had returned from Namibia, Mr Bell called me again. I told him Etienne was back and again said he should call Etienne directly. I also told him that my sons said the incident had occurred on either the 14th or 15th of December. There is therefore no excuse for SANParks not to have established by now who took the call and made the racially discriminating comments to my son Etienne. My sons and I have also not in any way hampered SANParks' "investigation" by withholding any information as Mr Thakuli is now trying to make out.

He also said that SANParks has an open-door policy in terms of complaints. "Telephone numbers and email addresses are readily available and we even have our website through which concerns and complaints can be directed to us. The sooner these complaints are brought directly to us, the easier it is to resolve as there are no gaps in the process as we are seeing now."

Mr Bell of SANParks himself told me at the time that all the relevant SANParks personnel who would normally deal with this matter were on leave due to the festive season and that he was standing in for them - so what purpose does Mr Thakuli think this would have served?

Thakhuli also said that with this open-door policy, there has not been a need for clients to direct complaints anywhere else as has been done in this case, with AfriForum being the first recipient of the complaint rather than SANParks.

See my explanation of the facts above.

About the People's Trail and the accommodation in question, Thakhuli explained that SANParks has a People and Conservation [P&C] division that is tasked to work with the communities, specifically the previously disadvantaged groups around the parks. The People's Trail was developed as part of a P&C project which aimed at exposing these groups to the experience and understanding of nature and the natural area that they reside in. The overnight accommodation is designed as part of this trail for these educational groups but booking this accommodation is not exclusive to previously disadvantaged individuals, it can be used by anyone provided a booking has been made well in advance.

This certainly is not clear from their website brochure which distinctly refers to previously disadvantaged groups. Mr Bell subsequently said the People's Trail was for youth or school groups, booked by their schools or clubs, from all communities. He acknowledged that the brochure did not make this very clear. Also, I pointed out to him that the pictures of groups using the facility as published in their brochure, showed people of 30+ years in age, and not school children or youths.

"We will pursue this matter till it is resolved. If it is proved that people have been turned away due to their skin-colour, this is a matter that will have to be seriously addressed internally. SANParks is a non-racial organisation and any discrimination of this kind would be against our vision which is to make national parks ‘the pride and joy of ALL South Africans and the world'," said Thakhuli.

My sons most certainly were turned away because they were white. If that is not racial discrimination, then what is? To date no-one from SANParks has acknowledged this or apologised to my sons. Instead of SANParks admitting it has made a mistake and rectifying it, they are now engaging in a spin-doctoring exercise which apparently seeks to portray me and my sons as "mistaken" or lying or as trouble-makers. Were it not for that, I would have long ago moved on and forgotten about the whole sordid affair.

Media Enquiries:

Reynold "Rey" Thakhuli

GM: PR, Media and Stakeholder Relations

South African National Parks

Comments in bold by Mr Stef Terblanche

Statement issued by AfriForum, January 10 2009