RAT FECES IN CHECKERS HOUSEBRAND BREAD

On the 9th of June 2023, my brother had gone to purchase a house brand loaf of bread, white, from Checkers Glenvista Shopping Centre. When he returned home, we made a late breakfast meal using this unsliced, white housebrand loaf of bread. As I bit into the bread, I experienced a very foul taste in my mouth. My natural reaction was to roll my tongue around in my mouth, only to discover a piece of solid rat feces in my mouth. My husband looking at me noticed my reaction and was just as shocked to witness what I noticed. I immediately ran to the bathroom to wash out my mouth and brush my teeth Instant panic filled me as I realised what I had just consumed. My newborn baby was just two weeks old and I am a breastfeeding mom. Being careful with what I ingest as I know in turn it would have an affect on my newborn baby. My husband wrapped up the plate with the rat feaces and the half-chewed bread and vienna and drove it right down to Checkers, Glenvista. He met a man by the name of David who had promised to escalate the matter to his manager and rainbow chicken for the viennas that was also present on the plate. That night I experienced severe tummy cramps and diarrohea. I was so worried about the affects this would have on my two week old baby and what toxins would be passed onto him through my breast milk. I lost my appetite and couldn't stomach to look at anything else. To date, I am emotionally scared to eat unsliced housebrand bread from Checkers or any other store. Two weeks had passed and still we had not heard from Checkers Customer Services or Head office or even the local store (Glenvista Shopping Center Checkers). Until a young lady from head office called, my husband explained the situation to this lady, who further promised to escalate the matter and revert back to us. Multiple trips were made to Checkers Glenvista and still no feedback was given. Until, we received a call from the regional manager Mr Scheepers. Mr Scheepers was not even aware of the full extent of the situation and that I am breastfeeding mom with a 2 month old baby (at this point my baby was already over 1 month old). He immediately freaked out on the phone hearing this and advised that they had pest control sent out to the store the very same day (9th of June) within an hour after my husband had laid the complaint with David and he will speak to his team as this has not been handled properly. My husband asked why we had not been invited to view the bakery of the store or to be present when the pest control arrived. The case was then passed onto Benny, the new store manager and regional manager as Mr Scheepers was no longer overseeing Johannesburg South region. We paid Benny multiple visits at the store and still NOTHING was done. Checkers then claimed that nothing was found and the rat feces was instead planted. Which now questions my intergrity and my character. They further advised that they had lab tests run on the half eaten loaf of bread that we returned and nothing was found in that either. I requested that the lab results be emailed to me but I still to date have NOT received anything. Multiple trips had been made to Checkers, multiple calls had been made to Checkers and STILL we are awaiting answers. Ample time has been given to Checkers and their team to apologize or to just contact us but that couldn't be done either. My son is already four months old and still I have a fear of purchasing their housebrand bread or any baked goods from their store(or any store for that matter). My further worry is any future illnesses that may arise stemming from this situation. Rat feces is known to be very dangerous with many toxins and filled with diseases. I am very disappointed in the way which Checkers Glenvista has handled the matter and the entire Checkers team.