WATCH: ‘Racist’ guest house shut down by protestors
The now infamous Andre Slade, owner of the Sodwana Bay Guest House, spoke openly to the media as 3000 protestors clamored at his gate
HOURS before a massive contingent of politicians, protestors and reporters arrived at the gates of the now infamous Sodwana Bay Guest House, the business packed up shop.
Owner André Slade was thrust into the national media spotlight after an email emerged where he said he no longer allowed ‘blacks or government employees’ to stay at his establishment.
Even more bizarrely, he referenced the Bible, claiming it was the will of God that all races should be separated.
‘You cannot mix peaches and apricots,’ Slade told the media from inside his property, before launching into a practical demonstration of the difference between the black and white races on Wednesday morning, as thousands of protestors sang at his gate.
He showed reporters a crown on the head of his companion, Slovakian Katarina Kizani saying that black people did not have this, which meant they are not human.
His comments over the past week have gone from racist to downright bizarre.
An unapologetic Slade told a group of journalists on Wednesday that he was their ‘King on earth’ and they should call him ‘Inkosi’.
Political motivation
Slade seemed unfazed by the 3000 or so ANC-clad and banner carrying crowd that gathered slowly at his gates.
The protest was spearheaded by KZN Chairman of the ANC Youth League, Thami Ngubane who handed over a long list of demands to KZN MEC for Economic Development and Tourism Sihle Zikalala.
The demands dealt mostly with white-owned tourism businesses in the Sodwana Bay area, including Isimangaliso Wetland Park.
Ngubane demanded that the MEC launch full-scale investigations into every white-owned tourism business and to probe allegations of land being taken from locals by gunpoint.
Zikalala meanwhile drew cheers from the crowd when he announced that Slade had been operating his business illegally.
‘Mr Slade was given permission by the local traditional council to use this piece of land on the premise he would empower locals,’ said Zikalala.
‘But he never told anyone he would be operating a business so essentially, he was operating illegally.’
Zikakalala earlier on Wednesday visited the Mbazwane police station where he opened cases of hate speech, discrimination as well as illegal trading and possible tax evasion.
‘We are saying he must be arrested,’ he told the media.
‘We are also going to speak with the local traditional leaders and are calling for him to be evicted from this land.’
Police units were brought in to contain the situation which concluded without any violence.
As the crowd dispersed, police remained in place to guarantee Slade’s safety.
