Warning against 'naked racism'

A newly opened whites-only naturist resort has been warned that it must admit black people or face legal action.

South Africa's Human Rights Commission has given the Jane's Jungle nudist camp in KwaZulu-Natal Province seven days to abide by the country's constitution, and end its policy of unfair discrimination on the basis of race.

The owner of the camp, known only as "Jane", had denied she was racist but said that multi-racial nudity was still problematic in South Africa.

Jane's Jungle was declared open at the weekend by the naturist pioneer, Beau Brummel, who said it was difficult enough for South Africa's racial groups to mix with their clothes on, and even more difficult to bring them together in the nude.

Nudity

Mr Brummel's own once-popular resort, Beau Valley, closed in 1990 after he opened it to all races following Nelson Mandela's release.

Overt displays of discrimination are not acceptable any more

After complaints of racism, Mr Brummel wrote to the HRC defending Jane's Jungle's exclusion of non-whites.

He said that multiracial nudity had destroyed his resort saying that "communal nakedness is taboo in black Africa".

But the commission replied saying that they had found Jane's Jungle policies violated the constitution.

"You have expressly stated that your resort, which is open to the public, is for whites only ... and therefore unfairly discriminating on the basis of race," the HRC provincial co-ordinator, Karen Stone said.