On Saturday 26 October, I visited Peter Falke Wine Farm with my Caucasian girlfriend. As we walked, an unknown man directed racial comments at us, repeatedly referring to us as “top deck.”
This term likens a mixed-race relationship to a chocolate that is both brown and white, highlighting the fact that I am coloured.
Feeling deeply insulted, I stopped to ask him what he meant. At this point the individual verbally insulted me with profanity. I calmly replied, “It takes one to know one,” and then chose to ignore him. I subsequently reported the incident to the manager of the establishment. The man later approached me again at the front of the restaurant. He accused me of having a hearing problem and threatened me, stating that he was going to “moer me.”
At this juncture the restaurant staff intervened. However, instead of addressing the offensive behaviour, they asked me to leave the premises while continuing to serve the individual who had hurled these racist and offensive comments at me. During the encounter, I did not provoke nor act aggressively in any way. I am formally reporting this incident, as I believe I was subjected to discrimination and verbal abuse, and the establishment failed to address the situation fairly. I am seeking justice for this unacceptable and demeaning experience.
Despite reporting the incident of racial harassment, Peter Falke Wine Farm’s response has been minimal. Management has provided limited support and transparency.
Initial promises to review security footage fell through when it was revealed its cameras were not operational. This lack of action has left those affected feeling dismissed and unsupported, raising concerns about the farm’s accountability and commitment to providing a safe, inclusive environment for all patrons.
Reid Simons,
Email
Eddie Pienaar of Peter Falke Wines responds: “We take all matters related to the well-being and safety of our patrons very seriously, and we regret that the complainant had an unpleasant experience during his time with us. Firstly, we would like to address the allegation of racist comments having been directed at the complainant by another patron. We unequivocally do not tolerate any form of discrimination or offensive and unacceptable behaviour at our establishment. We take all reports of inappropriate conduct seriously and, after thoroughly investigating the matter, we can confirm that our staff on duty intervened when the altercation between the complainant and another patron occurred. It is important to note that our staff did not ask the complainant to leave the premises, nor was the other patron requested to do so. Employee interviews following the incident confirmed that, after the other patron had also approached the reception desk, our staff stepped in between the two parties to prevent the situation from escalating. Thereafter, the complainant chose to leave of his own accord, and was most certainly not requested to do so by our staff. Unfortunately, video surveillance footage from the time of the incident is not available due to technical issues. We are, however, committed to improving our monitoring systems to ensure incidents such as this can be thoroughly reviewed, moving forward. We regret if the actions of our duty staff fell short of the complainant’s expectations. We are actively reviewing and updating our procedures and protocols to ensure our staff are trained and equipped to ensure that such incidents are dealt with in a sensitive and appropriate manner, and to ensure that all patrons are treated with respect and dignity.”
