They take customers for granted

*DETAINED AT CHECKERS HYPER KLERKSDORP FOR BUYING SAUSAGE ROLLS. THEY SAID WE WERE THE "WRONG COUPLE".*

*By Lucia Klerksdorp*

Today my husband, my two toddlers and I went to Checkers hyper Klerksdorp for something simple: ****tail sausage rolls.

We went straight to the fridge. We didn’t touch anything else. At the till I even asked the cashier about the "2 boxes for special" deal. She told me it wasn’t for our region. I said "no problem" and paid. I have the slip to prove it.

As we were leaving, a security guard blocked us. My 3-year-old was tugging at me. "Mommy I want to pee." I asked, “Can I please take her to the bathroom first?” He said no. And escorted us to the back.

That’s when my heart dropped.

At the back office they told us we were "suspected of theft". No explanation. No CCTV shown. Nothing.

Out of anger, out of shame, I told my husband: "Strip. Let them see we have nothing." I was ready to strip too because we had nothing to hide. We are regular customers. We pay for what we buy. They refused to let us strip, but they still searched my husband. They went through everything.

And then they found nothing. Because there was nothing to find.

The only thing they said after was: "Sorry, we got the wrong description. They said it was a coloured couple."

A wrong description.

But the humiliation? That was the right one. The fear in my toddlers’ eyes? That was real. The way I’m still shaking hours later? That’s real too.

Management came and apologized and refunded us and promised they will deal with them guards ...But an apology doesn’t undo being treated like a ******** in front of your children. An apology doesn’t undo the stares from other shoppers. An apology doesn’t undo me having to beg to take my child to the bathroom.

I’m sharing this because I need people to know. What is the protocol? Do you detain first and ask questions later? Do you search families with toddlers based on a description alone?

We deserve better. We deserve dignity.

#CheckersHyperKlerksdorp #WrongPerson #CustomerRights #Klerksdorp #ShopriteCheckers #justiceForshopers