Dancers at a Cape Town CBD nightclub have accused management of “natural hair discrimination”.
Employees of Club Coco in Loop Street say a message was sent to a staff WhatsApp group last Saturday that read: “No one is allowed to come to work with natural hair. It’s either braids or wigs; unfortunately, it’s what management wants.”
The message was sent just hours before their shift and had staff scrambling to swap shifts so that they could switch their hairstyles to fit in at work.
Now current and former employees have spoken out about what they say is discriminatory mistreatment directed towards black dancers and the waiting staff.
An employee told Weekend Argus: “I felt disrespected and I am in shock that a decision like that could be implemented.
“It’s just wrong. I don’t get paid nearly enough to cover my basic living expenses. How must I afford braids or a wig?”
Dancers receive R1200 for a six-hour shift. As there are many staff, there is a rotation and staff work between one and three shifts a week.
A former employee said there were “other incidents that drove her to quit”.
“Racist comments were always made about our hair. We’ve been told we are stupid and young and as black people, we don’t want to work, which is why they always try to hire white girls,” she said.
While Weekend Argus has seen the messages sent to staff, the club’s management had denied the existence of this new work rule.
“We do not tolerate racism, discrimination or bullying of any kind. An internal investigation was carried out and no evidence was found of such an incident,” the club said in response to queries.