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Butchery owner in new baboon racist row

RACIST: The picture taken of employees at Lanseria Airport allegedly by the supervisor. Their faces were later replaced with those of baboons. PHOTO: ANTONIO MUCHAVE
RACIST: The picture taken of employees at Lanseria Airport allegedly by the supervisor. Their faces were later replaced with those of baboons. PHOTO: ANTONIO MUCHAVE

A BUTCHERY owner known only as Nick is being accused of racism following allegations that he wrote his employees names next to the faces of baboons on papers plastered on the wall.

Meanwhile, a man who had allegedly superimposed the faces of baboons on a picture of his employees at Lanseria Airport has apologised.

Both businesses are on the West Rand. A print-out of a baboon's picture and a black man's name next to it greets customers at ET Butchery in Roodepoort.

Former employees at the butchery yesterday spoke out about racism at their former workplace.

Kenny Masheleni, 30, told Sowetan that two weeks after he started working at the butchery in June last year, a photo of a baboon was printed and his name written next to it.

"My boss called me 'Bushy'. I do not know why he called me that.

"When I saw the picture at the reception, I was hurt. I did not understand what was happening. The owner of the butchery had placed different pictures of baboons with my former colleagues' names on them," Masheleni said.

Masheleni from Emhlangeni informal settlement in Lindhaven on the West Rand has opened a case of assault against his former employer. He was slapped after he was found with a cellphone and accused of taking pictures inside the butchery.

Honeydew police spokeswoman Captain Lydia Mtila-Dikolomela said the case was withdrawn.

"This was done pending further investigations," she said.

Another alleged victim, Samuel Tilusa, who worked as a long and short-distance delivery truck driver said employees at the butchery were also called k*****s.

"A baboon's picture with my name was also put up. It was hurtful. I never thought of opening a case but it was humiliating," Tilusa said.

When the Sowetan team arrived at the butchery, we were prevented from taking photos.

The owner of the butchery said this was not a matter to be put in the media.

Although Harry McGarry, Skycare Maintenance supervisor at Lanseria Airport, has apologised, he still denies that he was the one who replaced the faces of five employees with those of baboons.

A letter of apology was given to the employees last week.

"Although I took this photograph of you and the co-employees (in June 2009) I did not cause to manipulate the photographs foresaid or in any other way or manner," he wrote.

". I furnished you with a copy thereof as I found it of a comical nature. This was done in the bone (sic) fide, but mistaken that you would also find the content comical. In hind sight (sic), I appreciate that the manipulated photograph may have injured your character."

But the men said they did not accept McGarry's apology.

"What took him so long? He probably does not mean it," said Prince Mathebula. "We still want to see the matter go to court. I will not forgive him."

Moshe Ramahlo has since left the company. The others are Steven Moekeletsi, Lovemore Mchube and Michael Khumalo.

Moekeletsi said: "He turned me into a monkey. He has to pay for what he did. He has denied doing this. I cannot forgive him. I'm humiliated and am still heartbroken."

Last month, National Prosecutions Authority spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga said the senior public prosecutor in Krugersdorp declined to prosecute due to insufficient evidence.

The NPA requested the Director of Public Prosecutions South Gauteng to review the case.

"Our advocates instructed the police to do further investigations. We expect to get the case docket tomorrow. A decision whether to overturn the earlier decision will be made soon," Mhaga said yesterday.

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