A busy mall in Somerset West has been accused of profiling shoppers, after an elderly man was on Monday removed for refusing to take off his beanie (cap) from his head. Mall security at Waterstone Mall approached the man, urging him to remove the beanie for security reasons.

The elderly gentleman explained that he been ill for some time and was not able to remove his cap as it protected his head from the cold winter air. He was then subsequently removed from the mall.

On Tuesday morning, community rights activists and members of the media approached the management of Waterstone Mall, where this incident took place in order to raise their concerns that the mall has infringed the rights of the man.

The meeting centred on the shopping centre’s policy which has banned customers from wearing objects such as hats and sunglasses that might conceal their identify from security cameras.

“Mall security said that they would excuse the man if the beanie was indeed being worn for medical reasons, but the man would have to provide security with a medical note,” Hanief Loona, a community activist working on this case explained.

“This is unacceptable…the man is 65 years old.”

This policy was implemented last year when stores inside the mall were robbed at gunpoint.

“You are allowed to walk in with a jacket that could conceal a weapon but you cannot walk in with a cap warm on your head for warmth,” Mr Loonat added.

Suggestions were made in the meeting that the mall’s management come up with a policy that is more user friendly for their clientèle.

“We are not saying that this could have been racially motivated, but I have seen white elderly men sitting in the mall with caps on,” Loonat went further.

He said this suggests that the mall discriminated against the elderly citizen due to him being classified as a coloured man. The mall also discriminated against the patron because he is of a certain age.

“We understand that there have been many malls that have been attacked, but we can’t come up with policies that infringe the rights of the elderly citizens”.

Loonat also observed that the mall has a cold breeze, thus it is necessary for patrons, whom are ill, to wear something to cover their heads.

“If other malls were to implement this policy there will be an outcry from this community,” Mr Loonat added.

Thus far shopping centres do not have adequate facilities that will prevent robberies from happening within the complex.

“The mall has admitted that the points that we have made has made sense and caps such as beanies should be allowed to be worn as long as it is above the eyebrows,” Loonat said.

The centre’s management have met to discuss this matter further however the management was not available for comment. VOC (Umarah Hartley)