A brief confrontation at a Cape Town pub almost three years ago has triggered death threats, fractured a young man’s relationship with his father and left the venue’s reputation in tatters after it exploded into a race row.
And there is no end in sight to the saga as Christopher Logan fights a R1.25m damages order that was awarded against him in a defamation suit brought by the co-owners of Hank’s Olde Irish pub, which he and friends accused of being racist.
Logan’s application to rescind the order is due to be heard in the Cape Town high court on August 11.
Logan, Themba Danca and Jordan Pelser were sued for defamation after claiming a bouncer refused Danca entry because he was not accompanied by a white patron. A scuffle ensued when the group returned the next day to confront the owners.
He threatened that Hank’s would become like Clicks overnight, referring to looting and damage done by protesters at that store
— Court judgment
The default judgment for more than R1m was granted by the same court against Logan in November, as the other two patrons could not be traced.
According to the judgment, it was almost midnight one night in December 2022 when a doorman asked Danca to remove his cap, produce ID and confirm his eligibility to enter. Danca protested loudly, saying he was being denied entry based on his race. The pub said he failed to produce an ID showing he was 21.
The next day Logan and others went to the pub. He demanded to speak to a manager and “began yelling words to the effect that the [pub] was a racist establishment because of the alleged incident of racism”. The pub rejected the allegations.
“[Logan] threatened to get mainstream media involved who would ‘have a field day with this and to get protesters and the EFF on the premises’, ” read the judgment. “He threatened that Hank’s would become like Clicks overnight, referring to looting and damage done by protesters at that store.”
The confrontation was recorded, shared on social media and widely reported by traditional media.
“The result of the debacle was, unsurprisingly, a severely negative response from the public, including protests by, among others, members of the EFF outside the premises for an entire day soon after the event,” read the judgment.
“Threats of violence were made. The cellphone video went viral on social media, and there was a public outcry ... [The pub owners] feared for their safety and that of their employees and patrons, and were scared, too, of damage being caused to the premises.”
The pub closed between December 5 and 13 2022. A second establishment under the same owners closed between December 4 2022 and January 4 2023 — “one of the busiest trading periods for the business”.
The pub operated for more 30 years, worked with the NPO Bread for Life and had never been accused of discrimination previously.
“The businesses have since received several one-star reviews on review platforms such as ‘Google reviews’, ‘Zomato’ and ‘Tripadvisor’. The [owners] both testified as to the troubles experienced ... because of the fact that the establishment is now regarded as racist,” read the judgment.
Logan subsequently received “death threats” and was accused by the pub of “creating a false narrative” around the incident. Assault charges brought by both sides fell away and Danca was urged to take up the racism complaint at the equality court.
Logan’s lawyer Ashley Leeuw told the Sunday Times his client was in the US working as a lifeguard. The saga had had affected his relationship with his father, who “from the onset ... wanted him to distance himself from the case”, said Leeuw.
“The defamation case further compounded matters, especially after it became clear that he was the only one being pursued. He has been isolated and ostracised by his immediate community and the white community at large, [who are] accusing him of championing false racial claims. He has even received death threats.”
Leeuw said the pub owners had failed to trace Danca and Pelser in the damages suit.
“Financially and psychologically he has been hard hit. At one point his father sent a lawyer to postpone the matter when it was first enrolled for default judgment, but he [Logan] couldn’t continue ... as he couldn’t afford his exorbitant fees.”
Marèsa Nel, the lawyer representing the owners of Hank’s, said her clients were opposing Logan’s application for rescission.
Nel said Danca had brought a case before the equality court but had since withdrawn it. “Mr Logan was the only defendant who could be traced to be served with the summons and particulars of claim.”
Nel said the pub owners were “still struggling financially and emotionally”.
“The negative publicity caused tremendous damage, and the media reported widely on the supposed racist event without first establishing the facts,” said Nel.
“The emotional impact is also severe. My clients are upstanding persons in public, who have, for many years, served large numbers of homeless people in Cape Town, every day.
“The false accusations have had a significant effect not only on their own lives but also on the services they were able to provide to the homeless before the event in 2020.”
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