Three members of Ethiopian World Federation claim 'racial profiling' at Kosher World Supermarket and Coffee shop in upperclass Sandringham
-- It was claimed by a security guard that some Jewish customers were fearful of the two men and one woman who were 'dressed in Muslim clothes'
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April 8 2015 report by Lerato Mbangeni -
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Picture: Three rastafarians - Mama Rootz, Baba Kenyaz and US citizen Emma Young (@ewf_headquarters) who refers to herself as Empress Emma) -- walking away from Kosher World supermarket and coffee shop, where they say they were discriminated against after a security guard walked up and started questioning them. Picture: Nokuthula Mbatha
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Johannesburg - Three Rastafarians are moving out of their luxurious Sandringham home after they alleged that they were racially profiled at a kosher coffee shop.
Emma Young said she was having cappuccino at the Kosher World coffee shop in Glenhazel and using the shop's wifi with two companions when a security guard walked up to them and asked who they were.
“We were approached by a security guard, who asked, ‘Who are you? We don’t know you.’ I told him I’d lived here for six months and I’d had coffee here before,” said Young.
The security guard replied: “This is a Jewish neighbourhood, we don’t know you.”
Young said she told the security guard that he had offended them, but he said their attitude was wrong.
“He said he got a call from someone saying that there were Indians there wearing traditional clothes. I let it go and he walked away.
“Just five minutes later, he came back, saying he had received another call asking why he was letting Muslims eat at their restaurant,” Young said.
Mama Rootz, who was having coffee with Young, said she told the guard: “It sounds like apartheid” and he replied: “You can say that.”
He then asked for their names so he could tell the caller that they were all right.
“I was shaking with anger. I felt like I’m not safe here and I’d better get out,” Young said.
Young had already packed up her belongings and was moving out of the area.
When she arrived at the same coffee shop on Tuesday to talk to The Star, she was met by stares from the patrons, all of whom were white.
“This is how I dress, I wear a headscarf to cover my hair, and a long skirt. What’s wrong with that?
“That guard even asked us if we were Jewish and we said we were Hebrew-Israelites. This is racial and religious persecution.”
Young and her two companions, Rootz and Baba Kenyaz, are in the country to work with a non-religious NGO called the Ethiopian World Federation.
Young was born and grew up in the US.
“I was born in New York and grew up in a Jewish community, but never experienced anything like this. I’ve been living in South Africa for three years and never encountered anything so dehumanising.
“Since we’ve lived in this area, we’ve only experienced black security guards, and they’ve been pleasant,” she said.
The management of the coffee shop and supermarket in question said: “Anyone who comes to our supermarket or coffee shop is treated the same and there is no discrimination against any race. The Cap (Community Active Protection) just come in and investigate for us and decide if this is wrong or right, but we didn’t call them.”
After hearing of their response, Kenyaz asked: “What were they investigating? So Indians can’t get coffee there? So what if we were Muslim?” lerato.mbangeni@inl.co.za
The Star
http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/gauteng/rastas-coffee-shop-in-race-row-1.1841888
Background
Ethiopian World Federation -- Non-Government-Organisation in "Special Consultative Relationship with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations"
217 East 70th Street #706, New York, New York 10021 Tel: 347-897-8211
https://ewfheadquarters.wordpress.com/donate/
EWFIncCertifiedExecCouncil@gmail.com
ewfheadquarters@gmail.com
facebook.com/ewfheadquarters
Twitter: @ewf_headquarters![]()
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