****** at Margate aiport by Mr. Victor Phungula staff

To M. Victor Phungula-Margate Aiport cofee shop, I hereby wish to formally report an incident of discriminatory and degrading treatment experienced at the Margate Airport coffee shop on 9 December 2025.

I arrived at the establishment approximately one hour and thirty minutes before my scheduled flight to Johannesburg. Upon arrival, I took a seat and waited to be served. At the time I was visibly present and clearly in need of service, having waited without any acknowledgment.

When I entered, two white male patrons were already seated and were served without delay. Subsequently, additional white patrons arrived, were seated, and were promptly attended to by the waitstaff. Throughout this period, several black waitresses—approximately five in total—continued to serve these patrons while consistently failing to approach, acknowledge, or offer service to me.

Despite my extended presence and obvious expectation of service, not a single staff member made eye contact with me or offered any form of assistance. I was effectively ignored, in stark contrast to the attentiveness shown to other customers who arrived after me.

This experience was deeply distressing and evoked memories of apartheid-era discriminatory treatment. It is particularly disheartening that such conduct occurred at the hands of staff who share my racial background. The disregard I experienced was both humiliating and unacceptable, and it constituted a clear denial of equal service on the basis of race, whether intentional or by neglect.

I request that this matter be thoroughly investigated and that appropriate measures be taken to address the conduct of the staff involved. No customer should be subjected to discriminatory treatment or made to feel invisible in a public establishment.