Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament (MP) Phumzile Van Damme took to social media to vent her frustration after she allegedly punched a young man for making a racist comment at the popular V&A Waterfront on Tuesday evening.
Van Damme had allegedly gotten into an altercation with a woman while waiting in line at a supermarket at the popular shopping centre, who is reported to have told Van Damme that she would shove her aside.
“Then when I went out, she was standing there with her family in a threatening manner. And I went to her and said, ‘why are you looking at me in a threatening manner?’ Then she said, ‘it’s because you’re black’,” she said to News24.
According to the MP, she punched the woman’s son in self-defense when he “entered her space” and allegedly said “v**tsek, you black!” before throwing her phone to the ground.
V&A Waterfront management apologised to Van Damme after the incident transpired on Tuesday evening for the perceived treatment she had received from its security manager, who had intervened while the altercation played out.
“We regret this incident, which we did not handle with the necessary objectivity, respect and empathy,” the centre said.
Van Damme vented her frustration on social media platform Twitter, saying that felt that the shopping centre’s management had mishandled the situation.
According to Van Damme, she was forced to punch the young man in self-defense while members of his family filmed the entire incident.
“Management of V&A Waterfront if you’re going to allow racism and racists on your premises, please announce it to all. I will not stand for anyone’s racism towards me or anyone. And don’t send me some PR clichéd response either, ACTION,” she tweeted.
Van Damme accepted the apology before announcing that she would be laying charges against the man she had punched.
Management of @VandAWaterfront if you’re going to allow racism & racists on your premisis, please announce it to all. I will not stand for anyone’s racism towards me or anyone. And don’t send me some PR clichéd response either, ACTION pic.twitter.com/YIriYXUKQW
— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) June 18, 2019
The family. This lady was filming me the entire time, so I tried to take photos & that little shit in the black t-shirt came to my face & came within my face & “voetsek you black” & threw on the ground. He was threatening violence so in self-defense I punched him in the head. pic.twitter.com/fJL994ICU8
— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) June 18, 2019
AND, @VandAWaterfront the right way to deal with this would’ve been to take my details & the family’s details & apologized to me for what I’d experienced. Your “Manager” did neither. He treated me like the rubbish & told me to go, so I said “fine, I’ll have to expose you”
— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) June 18, 2019
The Management of the V&A Waterfront unreservedly apologises to Ms @zilevandamme for the treatment she received in an interaction with our security manager who intervened during an unpleasant altercation she had with a family of visitors on our property earlier today.
— V&A Waterfront (@VandAWaterfront) June 18, 2019
As the country’s premier tourist destination, the majority of which are local Capetonians and South Africans, we do not tolerate any treatment that would diminish the standing of any member of our community.
— V&A Waterfront (@VandAWaterfront) June 18, 2019
Picture: Twitter
