The National Coloured Congress (NCC) went bos at a Mitchells Plain garage on Wednesday, demanding that the Indian owner employ coloured residents from the area.
The political party, formerly called Cape Coloured Congress (CCC), shut down the Clocktower BP garage in Lentegeur, saying that there are more black than coloured employees.
Leader Fadiel Adams says the NCC have warned the owner on several occasions to employ more coloureds.
“We are not saying that they should chase anyone home. We are saying to include our children. We spoke to this guy three times, en hy wil vir hom harregat hou,” Adams told the Daily Voice.
“It is clear that business and the government have declared war on the coloured child.”
According to the NCC, the garage has 20 black employees and only six coloured workers.
A handful of NCC members blocked both entrances as the petrol station came to a standstill for several hours, forcing motorists to turn around.
A heated confrontation broke out between NCC members and police officers after they were instructed to clear the entrances.
The NCC argued that they had “every right to step in” as coloured youth were being deprived of jobs.
As more community members joined the protest, the owner decided to engage with Adams behind closed doors.
Adams returned several minutes later and told the gathering that the owner had surrendered to their demands.
“Today this business has come to the party, BP Eisleben Mitchells Plain has agreed to 50% representation. That’s all we are asking for,” Adams said.
The owner declined to comment and referred the Daily Voice to BP South Africa.
Hamlet Morule, head of communications and external affairs at BP SA, says the hiring of workers is the dealers’ choice but they are guided by the company’s “non-discrimination ethos”.
“BP does not tolerate any form of racial injustice or discrimination of any kind in our organisation including discrimination based on race, religion, gender and gender identity, sexual orientation, age or disability status,” he said.
“BP SA has investigated and can confirm that the BP Clocktower staff complement reflects the demographics of the community in which the service station operates.”
Last month the NCC disrupted a City of Cape Town EPWP working project in Bonteheuwel.
It successfully ensured that several men from the area were employed after foreigners were picked first.
Adams says any business that isn’t “coloured-compliant” in the Cape will be shut down.
“If you operate in a coloured area and you refuse to employ our children, we will close you down,” he warned.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za