Brassed off by block to Kalk Bay tidal pool

A skirmish at a popular Cape Town tidal pool on the Day of Goodwill has sparked a row with racist overtones.

Security staff at the Brass Bell restaurant in Kalk Bay stand accused of dampening holiday fun by barring swimmers from a previously whites-only public bathing area flanking the restaurant's sea-facing decks.

People were turned away, prompting chaotic scenes at the crowded site: a world-famous restaurant built in the '60s and public swimming pools dating back almost 100 years.

The tidal pool - two adjoining pools and a smaller children's pool - attracts thousands of visitors at Christmas and New Year, mostly from the Kalk Bay fishing community.

To get to the pools, however, swimmers must go through the Brass Bell restaurant, which has expanded over a large area around the pool.

Although there is usually plenty of space for swimmers and diners during the year, festive-season crowds threatened to swamp the restaurant, so management posted extra security guards at the main public access point.

Most of the swimmers turned away on Thursday were coloured, whereas the majority of diners were white - which prompted claims of racism.

Many residents allege the pools have effectively been privatised by Brass Bell owner Tony White.

White insists he has done the community a service by cleaning up the pool area and keeping it secure.

But critics claim he failed to consult the Kalk Bay community about developing the tidal pool site, which he leases from the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa.

White recently signed a new lease with the agency, which allowed him to expand his restaurant.

Swimmers must now run the gauntlet of beefy security personnel and walk through the Brass Bell's outdoor restaurant to take a dip.

A rival restaurant owner has reported the matter to the Human Rights Commission.

Kalk Bay and St James Residents and Ratepayers' Association chairman Tony Trimmel said: "We have no problem with the Brass Bell restaurant itself, but we don't believe they should be turning people away from the pools.

"The general population here are vehemently opposed to what is happening. Being a resident of the area, White should know better."

Judy Herbert of the Kalk Bay Historical Association said early photographs showed the pools flanked by a sandy beach, which had gradually disappeared since the restaurant opened.

"This privatisation of what is, or should be, essentially public space beggars belief," said Herbert. "Residents from years back in the village have been amazed at just how all this has happened over the years.

"On Boxing Day [Thursday], as you will know, the pools were mysteriously empty, and people of colour were redirected by a security guard along the Main Road in order to access the harbour beach. This is simply outrageous."

White said his detractors were either jealous of the restaurant's success or misunderstood his contractual obligations to secure the premises. "The security guards were instructed to ensure that no alcohol was brought onto the premises and that potential troublemakers were turned away. The presence of the security guards also helped to dissuade potential unruly behaviour."

White said: "The Brass Bell must be the only restaurant in the country that allows unhindered access by the public over its property 24 hours a day.

"The situation becomes intolerable on Boxing Day and the first and second of January. Yesterday [New Year's Day] one of my waitresses was threatened with a knife."

He said criticism appeared to have escalated since he obtained the right to upgrade the previously derelict children's pool area. The other tidal pools had also fallen into partial neglect.

Former Kalk Bay harbour master Pat Stacey said White upgraded the beach area and security owing to government inaction. "That area used to be terrible before. It was never cleaned. White is safeguarding what he has on that property. If there was proper law enforcement there, he would not have to do that," Stacey said.

Trimmel said the community had submitted their own upgrade plan to the city council in 2012 in the hope of retaining control of the public area.

Gregg Oelofse, City of Cape Town head of environmental policy and strategy, said the city was facilitating an agreement with affected parties.

"It is a complicated space. Mr White has no right to stop any member of the public from accessing those areas. He cannot decide who is a gangster or not.

"But he can prevent people from coming into that area with alcohol," he said.

Oelofse called for a "measured and reasonable approach where everybody can get along. Everybody needs to have some degree of tolerance [of] each other."