UPDATE: Cultural activist forgives the centre manager of Boulders Shopping Centre

Update: 7 April, 10am

Thando Mahlangu, the man who was asked to leave a store at the Boulders Shopping Centre by the mall manager on 24 March after being told he was dressed ‘inappropriately’, said he would like the centre management to reinstate the mall manager in his position.

At the time, Mahlangu told the Midrand Reporter that he had not made any demands as to how he would like to see the matter being handled by the management of the mall.

However, after several meetings between the mall management, the centre manager, Mahlangu and the Kwa Ndebele Chief, Mahlangu said that he has forgiven the management of the mall. “I forgive them because we met with them last week and they apologised.”

The activist, author and television presenter said that going forward, he would love for everyone to learn to appreciate Africanism, as well as learn to respect all 11 official languages.

“I want them to respect our culture. I want them to respect cultural activists. I want them to respect anyone regardless of what they are wearing. I want South Africans to unite, promote and develop its languages and cultures.”

Mahlangu concluded that he would love to see everyone starting to teach children their mother tongues. “I want the government to respect African leaders, I want the South African government to respect our kings and start prioritising South African languages. I want the South African anthem to have all the 11 official languages in it, as much as it’s got Afrikaans in it, it must have IsiNdebele as well.”

Update: 25 March, 2.15pm

The manager of Boulders Shopping Centre has been suspended pending an internal investigation into the trending video, where he can be seen and heard dismissing a Ndebele activist and author, Thando Mahlangu, for wearing traditional attire at the mall. 

According to the CEO of Redefine Properties, Andrew König, Redefine has distanced itself from the degrading and undignified manner in which Thando Mahlangu and Nqobile Masuku were treated by the centre manager. 

“The treatment meted out to Mr Mahlangu and Masuku was devoid of the principles of human dignity and equality which underpin our constitutional democracy. In this vein, Redefine not only apologises to Mr Mahlangu and Ms Masuku, but it does so to the Ndebele nation and to all South Africans,” said König in a statement on 25 March.

According to König, Redefine (which owns Boulders Shopping Centre) respects the choice of all South Africans to dress, associate and assert their identity beliefs. As an immediate measure, Redefine Properties will strengthen diversity training efforts to all their centre managers.

“This matter has also illuminated for us, the need to continually review and revise our internal policies on an ongoing basis, in order to ensure that our policies are brought in line with the values and principles that recognise and celebrate the multitude of cultures that make up our nation.”

“We are in the process of attempting to reach to Mr Mahlangu to apologise to him in person,” he concluded.

Initial report: 25 March, 12.09pm

A video circulating on social media has left many social media users upset. The video was posted by a Ndebele activist and author, Thando Mahlangu who was denied access at the Clicks in Boulders Shopping Centre, Midrand on 24 March.

In the video, Mahlangu who is wearing a Ndebele traditional attire is approached by the mall’s centre manager and asked to leave because he was not clothed ‘decently’ according to the manager.

The manager can be heard repeatedly saying, ‘this is my mall, I won’t allow this in my mall’ in the video. Mahlangu emphasised that this is Africa and he is wearing African attire, while the manager is wearing Western attire.

The manager would still not barge, “Rights of admission reserved, I don’t condone this in my mall,” he said.

WATCH:

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

The Clicks store manager was then called to solve the altercation. Mahlangu was then allowed to continue his shopping. Clicks have said in a statement that they will be laying an official complaint.

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

Let us know your thoughts on this story on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

The Midrand Reporter has contacted the Boulders Shopping Centre for comment and is waiting for their response. 

Also Read: EFF officials to be deployed to provinces for the closure of Clicks stores