Reports have filtered through that Western Cape grooms picketed and marched outside Kenilworth Racecourse yesterday afternoon.
The grooms’ peaceful protest was apparently against the perceived lack of transformation in South African horseracing. The SAPS were summonsed to disperse the mob.
Both Gold Circle and Phumelela were approached for comment.
In response to media queries, Phumelela Racing Executive Patrick Davis has confirmed that the march did in fact take place and that a Memorandum was handed to Gold Circle officials. The matter is being handled by the racing operator’s Human Resources Department.
Davis pointed out that Grooms are employed by individual trainers and were not employees of the racing operators.
Gold Circle had not responded to media enquiries.
There are no racemeetings scheduled in the Western Cape this weekend, and it is not known what effect the protest action will have on service delivery.
Further updates will follow as and when they become available.
