Tribalism at Total Vale Road, Ferndale

Total Energies Ferndale (Vale Road)

We got very very bad service today at Total Energies, which is directly opposite the office where we work. We wanted to refill our Office Gas tank and walked across to Total, and my colleague, who is Xhosa speaking, asked a gentleman who works at Total if Total refills gas tanks, or simply swaps out tanks.

The gentleman said Total only swaps tanks but only Total or Bp tanks. I was on the phone when this conversation happened, but then, I overheard the gentleman speaking in siPedi saying to his other colleague, "Why don't they walk down and go somewhere else" in a rude tone. He thought I didn't know siPedi because my friend made communication in isiXhosa, and I was on the phone speaking English since it was a work call.

I then asked him why he is speaking about us in this fashion, telling him in siPedi that I know siPedi and that he literally expressed that we should walk down the road, even saying to his friend "I'll fill you in" in siPedi (waiting for us to leave before he can gossip about us). My car was at the office, I pour petrol there everyday, I buy lunch there everyday, I buy office waters and cokes, Mugg & Bean and snacks there, and I'm utterly disgusted by this tribalism and treatment.

I will be able to point the guy out because I see them there almost everyday. I didn't know he was tribalist and rude, but I want to take this further as I believe he discriminated against my colleague and I.

(Writing this on behalf of my wife Tsholo who experienced this ordeal.)