Black prof ‘racially profiled’

ONE of the country’s top academics, Mpumelelo Ncwadi, has again become a victim of being racially profiled.

Ncwadi is not just an academic but also a farmer and is currently doing his PhD at the Nelson Institute of Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in the US.

He said he was visiting the managing director of Mido Technologies at their office building in Jamestown, Stellenbosch, when the incident happened at an adjoining business.

“I am a business mentor to him and after the meeting, while exiting, through the glass door I saw a beautiful picture at the other office.

“I asked the cleaning lady what they do and she told me it’s an architectural company.”

Ncwadi said he asked the woman if she could get a business card from the company as he was interested in its services.

“A white man came out and said I look undesirable and do not belong there.

“I did not quarrel, he followed me out and told me I must watch out.

“I was racially profiled,” said the disappointed scholar.

“I found out later that the person who racially profiled me is the boss of the company, Nicholas Plewman of Nicholas Plewman Architects and Associates.”

He said he felt dehumanised and stripped of his dignity.

“I gave myself to this country,” Ncwadi said.

In 2006, Ncwadi was arrested while jogging in Constantia.

The white person who called the police said he fitted the description of

a robber that was terrorising joggers.

The father of two was again racially profiled in 2016 when he was accused of stealing at a Woolworths store after he was seen by security walking barefoot inside the store.

Woolworths later admitted that they were at fault and apologised.

Plewman denied racially profiling Ncwadi.

He said one of his staff members came with a complaint that there was a strange man in the tea area who, she said, smelt of alcohol and would not explain what he wanted.

“I went out and asked the man what we could do for him. He could not give me an explanation. I came to the conclusion that he might represent a security risk and asked him to leave. Perhaps I jumped to a conclusion too hastily, and if so, certainly I would apologise.”

He added that he had a duty of care to his staff who were all female and of diverse races, one of whom came to him because he had been frightened.

Ncwadi said he does not drink alcohol and never did.

“That girl didn’t complain to anyone. She was visible all the time. The man is lying through his teeth.”

MPUMELELO Ncwadi