Terrible service

It’s high time I raised a serious concern about the terrible service being provided by the service and security teams at Gateway. Today was the final straw. At around 5:00 AM, security guards stopped us from passing through the mall and from accessing the ATMs. We have always known that Gateway opens its doors at 5:00 AM to allow people to pass from one side to the other and to access the ATMs. In fact, even yesterday, Wednesday, 26 August, we were allowed to pass through at that time. Yet today, all of a sudden, we were told that this is no longer permitted. Gateway is a huge mall. If you are not going to allow people to walk through, then what alternative route are you providing for those who need to get to the other side? Why not proactively create a designated passage for people who simply need to pass through? If new rules are being implemented, customers should be informed in advance instead of being caught off guard. If access to the ATMs is also going to be restricted until 7:00 AM, then please be proactive and work with banks such as FNB to provide an outside ATM for customers who need services such as eWallets, just as ABSA and Nedbank have done. Why should someone who urgently needs access to money at 5:00 AM be told to wait until 7:00 AM? What made the situation even worse was the extremely rude manner in which we were spoken to. This is also not the first time I have had concerns about Gateway’s security and service. On another occasion, my phone was ****** in the bathroom. I politely asked security to show me where I could view the CCTV footage, but I was told that this was not possible because there were too many people coming in and out. The frustrating part is that I actually saw the person who stole my phone. She was directly behind me, and I could have potentially identified her if I had been given the opportunity to view the footage. This experience left me seriously questioning how security incidents are being handled at Gateway. Gateway used to be a great shopping mall, but the standard of service seems to have deteriorated significantly, especially since COVID-19. Today, it feels no different from an ordinary shopping centre in the CBD: poor service, inadequate customer care, poor communication, and a lack of empathy. Customers should not have to fight to access basic services or be treated disrespectfully when raising legitimate concerns. If Gateway is implementing new access and security procedures, then communicate them properly, provide reasonable alternatives, and train your security staff to treat customers with respect. This situation needs to be addressed urgently. Gateway can and should do much better.