Cape Town mayor Dan Plato has broken his silence on the Clifton beach furore by attacking “opportunists” trying to “drive a racial wedge in our society”.
Plato repeated the City of Cape Town’s condemnation of security company Professional Protection Alternatives, which he said had no authority to ask people to leave Fourth Beach at 8pm on Sunday.
However, “they asked people of all races to leave, and did not single out any race groups”, Plato said in a statement on Friday.
“It has also become clear that opportunistic political organisations have ignored this fact to drive a highly divisive and politicised racial agenda. Our beaches will always be open to everyone of all races, locals and visitors alike.”
Faiez Jacobs, secretary of the Western Cape ANC, was among those ordered to leave Fourth Beach, and Plato said: “Even though some political organisations will exploit any opportunity to drive a racial wedge in our society, this is something we must never allow.