Family told to get the f**k out of showers

*More on the shower story by Niemah Davids*

A Cape Town family has told of their shock and humiliation after they were dragged out of the showers at a camping resort, in an alleged racist incident.

A group of about 20 white people jeered at the family and pushed them around, leaving them severely traumatised.

Speaking from her home in Grassy Park, Fairoez Adams told of how, she, her husband Faizal, 11-year-old son Yusuf, nine-year-old daughter Imaan and 17-year-old niece Taufeeqah were pulled out of their shower cubicles at Oostewal Caravan Park last Thursday and were instructed to leave immediately, because “you don’t belong here”.

Adams explained that her family trades in fruit and vegetables and during the festive season they traditionally have a fruit and vegetable stand in Langebaan.

“We usually stay over at friends because getting a booking is always an issue,” she said.

Needing to use shower facilities, they were told about the caravan park.

“My husband and his friend went to see the place, where they were told we needed to pay R50 to get in.

“My husband paid and said we would be back later. If only we’d known!”

Adams said they had returned later and had all started showering when she suddenly heard a commotion.

“My son was screaming ‘Daddy’s fighting!’ but to me it sounded like ‘Daddy’s fainting’. My husband is a diabetic so I became very worried,” she said.

Adams said when she emerged, her niece and daughter had already been shoved out of their cubicles by some of a group of about 20 white people, and her husband was having an altercation with others in the men’s bathroom.

“There were both males and females in the bathroom, shouting and screaming for us to ‘get the f**k out’ and ‘voetsak’,” she said.

The group forced her naked daughter out of the shower cubicle and, during a scuffle, the towel which had been wrapped around her niece’s waist had fallen off.

“They couldn’t stop screaming for us to ‘get the hell out’ because we didn’t belong there. It was an awful experience, probably the worst one of our lives. We were treated like criminals,” she said.

Adams, who is a practising Muslim, said Islam requires all women to be properly clothed from head to toe.

“We cannot expose our bodies. We felt so violated during and after this incident. It’s going to stick with us forever,” she said.

She could not believe there were still racists around 14 years into a democratic South Africa.

“When are we going to move away from it all?” she asked.

An official at the Saldanha Bay municipality, which owns the caravan park, said they regretted the incident.

“A proper investigation will be launched,” he said.

Police are investigating a case of crimen injuria.