Cape Town - While the V&A Waterfront said it would be investigating allegations of racism following a confrontation involving black Democratic Alliance (DA) MP, Phumzile van Damme, and a white family, social media didn't react with a lot of sympathy.
After visiting the V&A Waterfront on Monday, Van Damme tweeted that she had experienced racism and punched one of the offenders in the face in self-defence.
"The family. This lady was filming me the entire time, so I tried to take photos & that little s**t in the black t-shirt came to my face & came within my face & [said] “voetsek you black” & threw [my phone] on the ground. He was threatening violence so in self-defense I punched him in the head," Van Damme tweeted.
After her confrontation with the family, Van Damme tweeted a video of her conversation with the security manager whom she said had not acted on her complaint.V&A Waterfront spokesman Donald Kau said they had contacted Van Damme after learning of the incident and have launched an investigation into the validity of her claims.
Management of @VandAWaterfront if you’re going to allow racism & racists on your premisis, please announce it to all. I will not stand for anyone’s racism towards me or anyone. And don’t send me some PR clichéd response either, ACTION pic.twitter.com/YIriYXUKQW
— Phumzile Van Damme (@zilevandamme) June 18, 2019
However, once news of the confrontation hit Twitter many reacted with a lack of surprise saying that Cape Town is known for its racism.
Phumzile Van Damme, the MOST influential black female leader in the DA, was racially discriminated in a city that's been governed by her party for the last 13 years.
Cape Town racism is so bad that it doesn't even recognize its own gatekeepers. All blacks are the same that side
— Tumelo Mapaa (@DjNewSouthAfric) June 18, 2019
Phumzile has witnessed racism in her own party, sadly she remains delusional and/or silent, a perfect example of a career politician, who like Mmusi, applied for their positions within the DA to defend the status quo in Cape Town. https://t.co/AesvH3MTyU
— Tsepiso Shuenyane (@Tsepi_Shuenyane) June 18, 2019
Phumi should just lay charges. Capetown is a racists paradise. https://t.co/azFBq4cYdn
— Justice Msimango (@BadmonJuice) June 18, 2019
Me hearing about the racist incident that Phumzile Van Damme went through in Cape Town pic.twitter.com/zKACjWCUU7
— kwanda (@kwanda90s) June 18, 2019
Not a single DA member in sight in thw comments under the tweet by Phumzile van Damme about racism she experienced at the V&A Waterfront. Ironically in a DA run city. 😂🤣🤣🔥 Has Helen said anything??? The DA 👡👡👡
— Ms Party 🏳️🌈 (@Olwee) June 18, 2019
when Phumzile van Damme ask black twitter to do it's thing pic.twitter.com/eJAf5Uq0qO
— Tipsy Nipple (@Twerrotist) June 18, 2019
This is most black people watching Phumzile ranting and raving about racism pic.twitter.com/8YvVCKIEKU
— Kgomotso Kutumela (@Ntate_Kutu) June 18, 2019
Now we have to give Phumzile another 5 years for her to come to the realisation that it's her own constituency that's treating her like that. Kwaze kwa tough 😔
— MaRadi kaDr. Robert Ford🇿🇦 (@nowentu) June 18, 2019