'Whites-only' barber sued in SA

Jody Kollapen was following up a complaint to the SAHRC

A South African barber shop that denied a human rights official a haircut on account of its "whites-only" policy will be taken to the country's Equality Court.

Jody Kollapen, the chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), went to the Pretoria-based barber shop after recieving a complaint from a black man.

According to South Africa's Sunday Independent newspaper, an employee at the barber shop told Mr Kollapen he could not have a haircut because the premises had a "whites-only" policy.

The South African constitution prohibits unfair discrimination on the grounds of gender, ethnicity, age, conscience and belief.

Coverage of the case should help publicise the remedies available to members of the public who suffer racist humiliation Dene Smuts Democratic Alliance

Under the Equality Act of February 2000 those found guilty of unfair discrimination face penalties ranging from unconditional apologies to the payment of damages to the injured party.

Disappointed

Mr Kollapen's move has been commended by the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA).

"By acting as the complainant and lodging a case with the Equality Court in Pretoria Kollapen was performing a splendid public service," the Mail & Guardian newspaper quoted the DA human rights spokesperson, Dene Smuts as saying.

Ms Smuts said the courts can also make recommendations for the revocation of licences, issue restraining orders and can even defer matters to the prosecution authorities for criminal prosecution.

She said that the move by Mr Kollapen - who said that he was disappointed that racism was still being practised in South Africa 10 years after the fall of the apartheid regime - would introduce people to the Equality Court.

"Coverage of the case should help publicise the remedies available to members of the public who suffer racist humiliation," said Ms Smuts.

The Equality Court has so far received about 10 similar cases.