An Adelaide nightclub has come under fire after leaked private messages appear to show management often directed security guards to refuse entry to Indigenous and Sudanese people based on their skin colour.
The Signature Lounge in the city’s nightclub strip is a hotspot for partygoers, however, on Monday morning, a former bouncer at the club, who wants to remain anonymous, took to Facebook to post private messages, which showed management ordered security not to let Indigenous and Sudanese people in.
The private messages which were provided to NITV News, are between the former security supervisor and the clubs management and shows the manager's son, Shaine Iglesias telling the security supervisor to come up with ways to refuse entry to "Aboriginal" people.
In an exclusive interview with NITV News, the former security supervisor said he once had to convince management to let in Port Adelaide players, Jake Neade and Paddy Ryder, who the club ordered him to refuse because they were "Aboriginal."
A private text between a former security supervisor and Signature Lounge management. Source: Supplied
In a series of leaked text messages between the former bouncer and management, it appears more orders were given to refuse other people with dark skin.
“Just want to let you know ahead of time that we are expecting a good busy night tonight and so my concern with both Sudanese and the 'Indiginous' should really be implemented,” the text message read.
“You just have to be strict and say “Sorry Guys but Not Tonight” or whatever excuses you can so that they won't hold the line.”
The message goes on to say that the “maximum number for properly dressed” Indigenous people would be 12 at the most and “that’s it.”
Private messages between managemet and security at the Signature Lounge nightclub in Adelaide. Source: Supplied
”I don’t know why suddenly we are getting so much of them considering I already raised my concern with you before I left to the US,” the text message read.
It’s alleged the nightclub also refused entry to an African father of two on Saturday night because he was black.
Luckson Guvamatanga spoke to NITV news, claiming him and his two mates were turned away because of the colour of their skin.
Mr Guvamatanga said he was “quite shocked” after security told him and his friends, that “people like you tend to cause trouble,” while they were refusing them entry.
“He was touching his earpiece and he just walked up and said ‘not tonight guys, you
‘are not coming in, we’ve just spoken to management, they’ve seen you on CCTV and they’ve instructed us not to let you in," he told NITV News.
Mr Guvamatanga said he could not believe what was happening because "there was a group of young white guys behind us and they were acting quite drunk."
"They were being loud and staggering all over the place and they just went straight through,” he said.
Mr Guvamatanga took to Facebook to post about his experience on the Adelaide Hospital Crew page.
The club has since reached out to Mr Guvamatanga to apologise for his "bad experience", saying their establishment was the "most multicultural backgrounded nightclub on Hindley Street," with a "majority of our crowd of Aboriginal heritage."
Messages from club representative Shaine Iglesias said the establishment promoted "mutual respect."
Mr Iglesias offered to "personally look after" Mr Guvamatanga and his friends if they gave the club another chance, however, he told NITV News after his experience at Signature Lounge, he would not be going back to Hindley Street any time soon.
NITV News has made multiple attempts to contact Mr Iglesias, who has since deleted his Facebook page.
South Australian Commissioner for Equal Opportunity, Niki Vincent, told NITV News that it was against the law to refuse access to services on the grounds of race.
“People deserve to be treated with respect, regardless of the colour of their skin, and if people believe they have been discriminated against on the basis of race, I’d urge them to contact my office so I can look into the matter,” Ms Vincent said.
She said no real action could be taken against the club until an official complaint was made by the person who was discriminated against.
