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Hout Bay race row intensifies

Angry social media observers are not all buying claims that a “drunk” at a bar was responsible for the racist rant that has landed a Cape Town resident in trouble.

The African National Congress and the Hout Bay Civic Association planned to lay charges on Monday against Vanessa Hartley for describing African people as “stupid animals” who flocked to Hout Bay. “We should tie them to a rope‚” she added. “Soon there will be nothing left of Hout Bay.”

Hartley later posted a public apology on her timeline‚ saying: “I would like to apologise for comments that were made on Facebook via my phone as my phone was at the bar … and someone thought they were very funny but now they upset me and a lot of people.”

Her Facebook page was deleted at around noon on Monday.

Ryno De Villiers‚ the director of a security company who she describes having a “complicated” relationship with on Facebook‚ also leapt to her defence on social media‚ saying that a “stupid drunk” had taken her phone at a bar.

“Some people can make stupid jokes‚” he added.

“Bollocks”‚ was the reaction on Facebook by Jolene Samuels to the alibi offered. “I called her and she didn’t make mention of this. She says she is not a racist because she works all over Africa. She said she was ‘just reacting’ to the original post.”

De Villiers too has come under scrutiny for a Facebook post that he made around the same time as the post by Hartley that went viral.

He complained about a problem that would destroy Hout Bay. “The foreigners from African countries coming to Hout Bay in their thousands‚ destroying nature‚ Picking flowers in nature to sell and feeding seals while tying them to ropes. Standing by traffic lights looking for business and work.

“Lots of break-ins in Hout Bay these days unfortunately.

“It’s normal to feel sorry for people but always remember these people destroyed their own country and they had to leave because of that and now they want to come destroy your beautiful town also. Don’t always jump to racism people. It’s a known fact. People always want to play the racism card when they have nothing else to say‚” he wrote in a post.

“Has this guy ever even heard of Colonialism? Gosh‚” was the reaction of Baden Moir.

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