Statement by Jacques Pauw regarding his arrest and detention at the V&A Waterfront on 6 February 2021

16 February 2021

I wish to correct the mistakes I made in a Daily Maverick column, "I was stunned and dazed when pounced on by police, arrested, jailed and charged with theft", that appeared last Friday.

I also need to apologise for my actions when I was arrested at the V&A Waterfront on 6 February 2021. I was detained overnight and released at noon the following day on a warning.

On Monday, 8 February 2021, I appeared in the Cape Town magistrate's court on a charge of theft. I denied this charge at the time, and still do. I maintain that my arrest and detention was unlawful.

On the Wednesday following my court appearance, I wrote a column for Daily Maverick in which I related my experience as I recalled it.

I wrote the article because I was emotional, angry, and humiliated by the entire experience.

The article was published on Friday afternoon.

Upon reflection and additional evidence provided to me, I have realised that there are errors in the article. I now wish to set the record straight.

I had too much to drink in the restaurant and my memory was blurred. The ordeal of the experience of the arrest and having to spend the night in jail compounded my emotional state.

I had a meeting with the restaurant owner and a conversation with a V&A executive this Monday. They showed and explained certain facts to me. I misbehaved and I wish to apologize for my behaviour.

The article in the Daily Maverick created the impression that either the restaurant management, or the waiter that served me, or the V&A Waterfront made a call to the police to have me arrested. It turns out this did not happen. Neither the restaurant nor the Waterfront made any such calls and played no role in my arrest.

The three policemen who arrested me were already at, or near, the venue after attending to an unrelated incident.

They enquired what was going on. In the heat of the moment, I lost my cool and I acted in an impolite manner. My own action played a role in getting me arrested and detained.

I have also now established that the police officers did not take the R1,000 in cash I had with me. I was only provided with the evidence on Monday. I apologise to the three policemen for having said this.

The restaurant owner is busy withdrawing the charge of theft against me as there is no dispute between us. The outstanding bill was paid the Sunday morning prior to my appearance at court as I explained in the article.

I must therefore appeal to the public that any backlash against the V&A Waterfront and its restaurants stop. Neither the restaurant nor the V&A Waterfront played any role in my arrest and detention.

I apologise to the restaurant, the V&A Waterfront and the police.

The V&A Waterfront has done much to protect their small and medium-sized businesses — including restaurants ­during COVID-19 and subsequent lockdowns, and therefore the organisation is undeserving of the criticism and attacks levelled at them because of my article.

I feel embarrassed about my conduct. In this era of fake news, propaganda and lack of accountability, I must publicly accept responsibility for my own actions and apologise for them. It is the right thing to do.

I also apologise to Daily Maverick readers and its editor for the wrong account of events in the opinion piece.

My statement and an apology about the events at the V&A Waterfront on 6 February 2021 pic.twitter.com/ufFUGNdAvf

— Jacques Pauw (@Jaqqs) February 16, 2021