Kaunda Selisho

By Kaunda Selisho

Journalist


Woman lays charge against executive after racist rant

Police were called to intervene and the man reportedly admitted to saying what he had been accused of.


A Cape Town woman has opened a criminal case against an executive who allegedly works for a global professional services firm after the man harassed Bulelani Ngcauzele and her family at Cape Town International Airport on Thursday.

Ngcauzele took to Twitter to post a series of videos in which the man was captured screaming at her and her family. Most videos were filmed discreetly and contain only audio.

The following video contains strong language and is not recommended for sensitive viewers:

In an interview with News24, Ngcauzele said that she and her family had gone to see off her stepfather and had been at the ticket sales counter sorting out a booking issue when the allegedly drunk executive walked up to them and began his rant.

“My mom had been standing behind us with his trolley and luggage. This man came up to her with his suitcase and ticket in hand [without reason to be at the counter] and started going off about how fucked up the country is because of ‘you people’,” Ngcauzele told the publication.

“She was very calm about it and told him to leave her alone, but he continued to harass her. He thought she was on her own, but my brother was making a video of what was happening.”

According to her, the executive then charged at her brother wanting to take his cellphone after realising that he was recording what was happening.

“He was nasty and ridiculous. He told us that all he wanted to do was ‘help you people’ and how he had invested R150m into this country. He was going on about how he ploughed into SA and that ‘these people’ were not fit to lead.”

Ngcauzele also tagged his employers on Twitter alerting them of his behaviour.

PwC tweeted an apology and announced that they had launched an investigation into the matter. They also insisted that his behaviour did not represent the values of the firm.

pwc statement on alistair hofert

The airline staff member who was helping the Ngcauzele family with their booking issue phoned the police after returning to check on Ngcauzele’s stepfather, only to witness the commotion.

She alleges that he tried to get away but the police followed him and he allegedly confessed when confronted by police.

Ngcauzele’s mother told police she wanted to open a criminal case after they asked her how she wished to proceed with the matter.

According to News24, police spokesperson Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana on Saturday confirmed a crimen injuria case had been opened for investigation.

The publication reports that he had been taken in by police and later released but he was yet to appear in court or plead to the charges.

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