Mall manager suspended over Ndebele traditional attire saga

 By: Staff writer

A Midrand mall manager who humiliated Ndebele activist and author Thando Mahlangu by hounding him out of shopping complex over his traditional attire has been suspended.

The owners of Boulders Mall announced that the manager has been suspended pending an internal investigation into the matter.

Mahlangu had taken a casual trip to the mall on Wednesday when he was told his attire was "inappropriate" and told to leave a Clicks store where he and his business partner Nqobile Masuku were shopping.

The incident which was captured on video by Masuku has sparked outrage on social media. Redefine Properties which owns the centre has apologised for the events that unfolded when Mahlangu was humiliated in front of other shoppers, calling it "regrettable".

"Redefine therefore distances itself from the degrading and undignified manner in which Mr Thando Mahlangu and Ms Nqobile Masuku were treated by the Centre Manager. The treatment meted out to Mr Mahlangu and Ms Masuku was devoid of the principles of human dignity and equality which underpin our constitutional democracy. In this vein, Redefine not only apologises to Mr Mahlangu and Ms Masuku, but it does so to the Ndebele nation as a whole and to all South Africans," said Andrew Konig, CEO, Redefine Properties in statement on Thursday.