Violent Death Threat by Employee and Poor Management Response

Formal Complaint: Violent Death Threat by Employee and Poor Management Response Location: Checkers Reservoir Hills, Durban Date of Incident: 20 October 2025 (AM session)

Incident Summary On the morning of 20 October 2025, I visited the Checkers Reservoir Hills branch to purchase groceries. While in the food and herb section, I was looking for dhania (coriander) but could not find any on the shelf. I approached an employee who was packing stock and asked politely whether they had any in the back. The employee responded rudely, saying, “It’s in front of your eyes.” I asked him what he meant by that, and he rep****, “Open your eyes in front of you.” It was not just the words he used, but the arrogant, mocking, and hostile tone in which he spoke. This is completely unacceptable behavior from any employee dealing with customers.

When I confronted him about his attitude, the employee became aggressive. He stepped toward me and said, “What are you going to do about it?” I rep**** that I would inform management about his conduct. At that point, he became even more aggressive, walking closer and threatening me directly, saying, “I’m going to kill you.” He repeated this multiple times, approximately three times, saying, “I’m going to kill you. What are you going to do about it?”

Two security guards, one male and one female, were nearby. The male security guard had to physically step in between us because the staff member continued to advance toward me aggressively. When I asked the security guard if he heard the employee make that threat, he confirmed that he did.

Store and Management Response I shouted for management and demanded that the manager be brought to the scene immediately. When he arrived, I explained the situation in full and instructed him to confirm with the security guards, who had both witnessed the threat. Even with the manager present, the violent employee continued to behave aggressively and showed no respect for his manager’s authority.

The response from both management and security was shockingly weak. The employee who had just issued a death threat was not removed from the area immediately. This is completely unacceptable, no customer should ever be left standing near someone who has just threatened their life. I explicitly told the manager, “I want this guy fired. He is a menace, a violent character, and he needs to be dismissed immediately.”

The security at this store is extremely poor. They did not act to control the situation or protect the customer. The store manager’s reaction further demonstrated a lack of training and basic understanding of safety protocols. When I asked for the names and details of everyone involved, the manager questioned why I needed them. I explained that I required those details to contact corporate and report the incident properly. This level of incompetence and unprofessionalism is unacceptable.

You would not find this behavior in other Checkers branches. Staff and management at those locations know how to handle customers respectfully and maintain safety. What I witnessed at Reservoir Hills was a complete breakdown of discipline, respect, and customer care.

Follow-Up Later that day, at approximately 12:38 p.m., I received a missed call from ***, which appeared to be a callback from Checkers. I immediately returned the call, but the number does not accept inbound calls, and I was unable to speak to anyone. No further contact was made with me after that.

Conclusion and Request for Action This incident was deeply distressing and raises serious concerns about customer safety at Checkers Reservoir Hills. The behavior of this employee constitutes a ******** threat, and the failure of management to act appropriately compounds the seriousness of the matter.

I formally request the following actions: 1. A full investigation into the incident, including a review of CCTV footage from the morning of 20 October 2025. 2. Immediate disciplinary action against the employee involved, up to and including termination. 3. Written confirmation that the incident has been investigated and that the employee has been held accountable. 4. A formal written apology from the store and from Checkers corporate for the misconduct and lack of safety. 5. Confirmation that all staff and security at this branch will undergo retraining to ensure customer protection.

No customer should ever experience verbal abuse, threats, or physical ************, least of all from a store employee. The conduct I experienced is unacceptable and reflects extremely poorly on the Checkers brand.

I request a written response within 48 hours confirming receipt of this complaint and outlining the next steps.