Another Pretoria salon faces racism charges

An Eersterus woman who says she was barred from entry into a hair salon in Waverley because she is coloured is preparing to take legal action.

Rinie Stous, 36, says she was refused entry into Hair By Pam on Friday when she arrived for an appointment she had made with the salon earlier that morning.

Stous alleges that a person of the salon, known to her only as Pam, demanded that she leave the salon and not return.

This came after Pam told Stous that they had a problem with their geyser and could not cut her hair.

When Stous pointed out that white customers were having their hair cut, Pam allegedly became aggressive and threatened to call the police.

Stous was prevented further entry to the salon when Pam closed and locked the security gate leading into the premises.

Now a distressed Stous is turning to the law for what she feels is racial discrimination.

"It's racism and is totally unnecessary," she says. The experience has left her "deeply distressed".

Other business owners in the Charl de Villiers shopping centre in Codonia Street have reported previous incidents of apparent racial discrimination at Hair By Pam.

When reporters put the allegations to Pam, she threatened to call the police.

"I have nothing to say to you," she said, demanding them to leave her premises.

The president of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), Jody Kollapen, said he was disappointed that racism was still rife.

"Such incidents are a clear indication that society has a long way to go in accepting racial differences," he said.

Kollapen took a Centurion barber to court when he last year refused to cut his hair because of his race.

Earlier this year, the barber, after pleading guilty to racial discrimination, was ordered by the Pretoria Equity Court to attend a course on how to cut ethnic hair.