Proud Mahlangu stands his ground in complaint against shopping centre

Thando Mahlangu quietly steps away from the crowd of supporters, onlookers and journalists congregated in the afternoon sunlight outside the Boulders shopping centre in Midrand, Gauteng. 

Five metres away from the crowd, with closed eyes, Mahlangu stands slightly hunched over and clearly deflated. Wiping tears from his eyes, he says: “I will be all right. I’m just sad.”

Mahlangu had just come out of a near four-hour meeting with the centre’s management. The intention behind the April 6 meeting — to find a way forward after an incident at the mall left Mahlangu feeling attacked, victimised and belittled. 

0 of 3

The incident in question occurred on March 24, at a Clicks store in the mall. Mahlangu was asked to leave the shop and mall for being “inappropriately dressed”. His only sin — his proud wearing of traditional isiNdebele attire. 

Addressing members of the press and the crowd of colourfully clothed supporters from his hometown of KwaMhlanga, Mahlangu expressed his unhappiness and rejection of the centre’s offers of compensation. 

“Whatever it is inside there we were discussing was zero, because I’m not happy with what we’ve discussed. I’m not happy with the offer they’ve made and I’m not happy with how they are handling things,” he says. 

The Boulders incident marked the latest injustice felt by Mahlangu. Injustices which began from the beginning of his embracement of Ndebele traditions in 2012.  

Mahlangu said his demands included a public apology, a donation to a cultural organisation of Mahlangu’s choice and mandatory cultural lessons for the mall manager who victimised him, among others. 

Stats SA estimated the Ndebele population in SA at just over a million in its last available census. Through his lifestyle choices and public petitions, Mahlangu hopes to bring the beauties and intricacies of his culture to a wider audience.

He actively petitions television and radio stations to include more isiNdebele in their programming.

Culture means everything to the 35-year-old activist, author and entrepreneur. 

“Language and culture are important in a person. They make you the person you are and they build your character. They build your humanity. If you respect your culture you will be able to respect another person,” Mahlangu reiterates. 

Mahlangu firmly believes that if every individual understood culture, mutual respect would be widespread. 

“If only South Africans prided themselves in culture and who they are, crime would not exist. Children wouldn’t be committing crimes and killing, none of this would be happening. It’s because people don’t want to embrace where they come from,” he says.

According to Mahlangu, his first experiences of damning perceptions came from close to home, as his own people struggled to come to terms with his choice of attire and lifestyle. 

“The saddest reality about the whole thing is that amaNdebele were supposed to understand me better, and they were supposed to be happy because I was promoting and protecting our culture. Some thought I was crazy and others thought I was smoking nyaope as this was their first time seeing this happening in their lifetime,” said Mahlangu, with a face weighted by a deeply saddened expression. 

Mahlangu believes in modernising aspects of culture to spread awareness. He runs a business with his girlfriend Nqobile Masuku selling paintings, hats and T-shirts adorned with traditional prints.  

The pair sell their goods in and around KwaNdebele, which to Mahlangu represents the spiritual homeland of his people. 

At first the pair were not met with welcoming arms.

“As I was selling my Ndebele painted hats in the streets, there was a time our very own radio station created a show that was bashing us for wearing our attire in the streets of KwaNdebele,” he says. 

0 of 2

The Boulders incident was not the first time the activist felt victimised for his lifestyle choices.

In 2018, he was barred from travelling on the Gautrain between Johannesburg and Pretoria. He says security prevented him from boarding and told him he was indecently dressed. 

The resulting hurt had a lasting imprint on him.

“It got to a point where I started isolating myself from everyone for more than six months. I was scared of what people would think, how they would view me and what they would say. I was afraid to face the world wearing my Ndebele attire.”

0 of 4

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Mahlangu would travel to schools around KwaNdebele and promote the importance of culture and language to impressionable minds.

He believes that cultural teachings could be the answer to many of the social and economic issues the country faces.

A sly smile touches the ends of Mahlangu’s cheeks when asked if he would ever consider giving up his traditional attire.

Before shaking his head, he says: “I will never stop being an African. I would never stop being a Ndebele. To be Ndebele is something so important because I love being Ndebele, I love my culture. I love the attire, I love everything I do, I love the food and I am proud to be an educated young Ndebele man.”

Mahlangu says the blood of his proud Ndebele parents courses through his veins and he could never imagine changing his views or his lifestyle.

“I’m proud of the decision I took to revive my culture. I’m doing this for my children, so those who come after me don’t have to go through this. I will always be proud to be Ndebele,” he adds.

* The CRL Rights Commission is expected to continue hearings in the matter on Monday, with the Boulders shopping centre manager expected to appear before the commission.