Bonnie booted out

28 September 2015 - 02:02 By Nashira Davids

Television personality Bonnie Mbuli says her spirit is "broken" after she was thrown out of her rented home in Cape Town. She believes she has been forced out because of the colour of her skin.Mbuli, who hosts Afternoon Express, started her search for rental accommodation when she moved to the Mother City three years ago. But the single mother said she was repeatedly turned away when agents discovered she was black."After speaking to many people, black, coloured and Indian in the city I thought: 'Ok ... this is the order of the day ... "Finally, on August 1 she moved into a house in Mowbray. She was asked for ID documents for all occupants. She submitted her five year-old son's and her nanny's Zimbabwean passport. But the rental agents then demanded her nanny's work permit.When Mbuli asked her 20-year-old nanny, who came to the country with her South African grandmother at the age of nine for the permit, she said she had struggled for years to get her documentation."She is an amazing woman. I want to help her," said Mbuli."At no point did they say - either fire her and stay on or if you sort it out you will be fine. They are just saying if you cannot give us the papers, you have got to go."I can understand from a legal standpoint... but the way I have been treated is unethical and inhumane."She tweeted, "The harassment, constant barrage of condescending emails, it is a lot. They found a loophole, widened it and voila!"Minenhle Dlamini tweeted a response: "I know I am like a day late but @BonnieMbuli I am so ... Guys the racism in Cape Town needs to end."Thandile @gumada_01 Sep 25 tweeted: "I feel your pain sisi.. especially after a white lady let her dogs chase after us cos we came to view and we were black."..

There’s never been a more important time to support independent media.

From World War 1 to present-day cosmopolitan South Africa and beyond, the Sunday Times has been a pillar in covering the stories that matter to you.

For just R80 you can become a premium member (digital access) and support a publication that has played an important political and social role in South Africa for over a century of Sundays. You can cancel anytime.

Already subscribed? Sign in below.



Questions or problems? Email helpdesk@timeslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00.