Protesting Cosatu members threatened to break through a steel barrier at Sun City on Saturday when they found that they would not be allowed through the main gate.

About 1000 members marched to protest against an alleged racial slur in which former president Nelson Mandela was insulted.

Marchers want Sun City to terminate its contract with Falcon, the security company whose employee allegedly played a CD referring to Mandela as a "kaffir".

Upon arriving after marching for 15km, marchers were disappointed that they would not be allowed through the main gate. They threatened to break through the steel barrier, but police and union officials were quick to restore order.

"We are here to block business, we are not here to stand this side [of the gate]," they shouted.

Cosatu wanted to block the main entrance to stop a Patti LaBelle concert on Saturday night, to highlight their unhappiness about the alleged racial slur.

Falcon CEO Ben Burger said on Wednesday that the company suspended Warren Alberts, manager of operations for the company which has provided security at the international resort for the last 14 years.

According to Burger, Alberts said he was not aware of the contents of the CD.

"Mr Alberts has stated in an affidavit that he was not aware of the contents of the CD, but we have chosen to suspend him whilst we fully investigate this matter and ensure that we get to the bottom of it," Burger said.

He said the company would co-operate with the police.

"Falcon understands that this incident has caused anger and upset to those that heard the song that was played without any approval from Falcon Security," Burger said in a statement.

"The company considers the national anthem, Nkosi Sikelela [sic], a part of our national treasure and would never condone desecrating its lyrics with any offensive and racially abusive insertions, and it deeply regrets the harm that this incident caused to those that heard a snippet of the song and those that have subsequently been offended by the news of this incident."

Burger appeared in the Mogwase District Court on Tuesday on a charge of crimen injuria and was released on R1500 bail.

In his statement issued by a public relations company, he said he had been at a staff potjiekos family day at Sun City and various CDs had been presented to be played during the event on Saturday.

He said he did not hear a 15-second snippet of the song and was not near the company stand when it was played. However, he was surrounded by police after someone complained.

He threw the CD into a dustbin and said he did not understand why he was arrested because he was innocent.

Sapa

In defence of Prof Jansen Rebekah Kendal has come out in defence of Professor Jonathan Jansen over the Reitz saga.

'Shut up and grow up' The ANCYL's latest bout of hate speech has left iafrica reader Andrew de Pomeroy-Legg fuming.

Visit our politics page Need the latest political news, features, interviews and profiles? Visit our dedicated page...