PIC: Eastern Cape bakkie driver transports woman in a cage

A picture has emerged of a black woman locked in a cage and transported in an Isuzu bakkie on Thursday.

The bakkie driver has since been identified as Eastern Cape farmer Johan Erasmus. He said all he was trying to do was offer the woman a lift. He also confirmed to Dispatch Live that the front passenger seat was empty but the woman preferred to sit at the back of the bakkie.  

Earlier

It was not immediately clear where the incident took place, but the bakkie had an Eastern Cape number plate.

It caused an outcry on social media, with some calling for the arrest of the driver. DA MPL Makashule Gana also shared the picture, asking if the driver of the bakkie had been found.

“This is the most shocking, depressing picture I have ever seen. The hatred of one human being by another cannot be condoned.

“Even an animal cannot be treated this way. A black woman working on a farm in the EC transported to work by a white farmer in a steel cage, like some dogs or dangerous animals are transport.”

Western Cape premier Helen Zille also came under fire for apparently trying to make excuses for the bakkie driver.

Zille said that even though the act “is disgusting”, “let’s get to the facts first”. Twitter user Tshepo responded to Zille’s tweet by saying: “oh Helen. It does not matter what happened, transporting a person in a cage is inhumane. That’s a fact.”

“I agree, and I am not looking for excuses. I want to get details,” Zille said in response.

Zille later said the owner of the bakkie had been traced and “facts appear very serious”. She also said that police were “onto it”.

“Re the person caged in a bakkie. Owner has been traced. Emerging facts appear very serious. Police onto it.”

Has the owner and driver of this bakkie been found? pic.twitter.com/eCewfFdceq

— Makashule Gana – RISE Mzansi🇿🇦 (@Makashule) January 19, 2017

Other people also had a lot to say on Twitter.

Soft ‏@hlonelagesha said: “that picture of a black woman in a cage at the back of a Bakkie is heartbreaking. And white people are making up lame excuses for it.”

MantsoePout-Nomzamo @MantsoePout said: “There’s a Caucasian lady on my tl that’s justifying a picture of a black woman in a cage at the back of a bakkie as “artwork”. Yup!”

“I just saw a pic on my TL of a black women being transported in a cage at the back of a South African reg bakkie. My heart was never ready,” said Moody ‏@simulated_rain.

Black woman in a cage at back of a bakkie

Umlungu: "It could be an art piece to get people talking"

Whaaat?? pic.twitter.com/fOfDcRV7dJ

— MaGumede 🌟🇿🇦 (@SnehGumede) January 19, 2017

Waking up to find one of our own has been placed behind a bakkie in a cage. Like WTF!! I hope someone finds this car.
RT 👇👇 pic.twitter.com/iA9tIs9VWD

— #️⃣Peace.J Designs💻 🇲🇼 🇬🇧 🇿🇦 (@Peace_JN) January 19, 2017