Poor Customer Service at Ladybrand Pep Home

Good day,

I would like to formally lodge a complaint regarding the treatment I received at the Ladybrand Pep Home branch during my recent visit to send PAXI parcels.

I run a business and regularly send orders through PAXI. To make the process easier for staff and avoid creating extra work at the till, I usually capture my parcels at home using the portal before going to the store.

08/05/2026 I arrived at the store with close to 20 prepared PAXI parcels. While I was waiting in the queue, a cashier by the name of Thato Mooko, who was standing at the till, immediately asked me from a distance, “Where is the slip?” without even greeting or properly assisting me first.

I was confused and asked what slip she was referring to. She then explained that she wanted proof of where I bought the PAXI plastics, stating that they do not assist customers who did not buy the plastics from their branch. This was very surprising to me because I have previously used other Pep branches, including Botshabelo RCM Pep Cell, Clocolan Pep, and Ficksburg Pep, with even more parcels, and I was never questioned in this manner.

I politely requested that we not discuss the matter loudly in front of other customers in the queue, as it was uncomfortable and embarrassing. Instead of handling the situation professionally, she told me to “Tloho” (“come”). While I was picking up my parcels from the floor to approach her desk, she immediately called another customer to the till, forcing me to wait again with all my parcels.

When I eventually got to her desk, she loudly questioned where I got the parcel plastics, saying people ***** them and that they get into trouble when parcels go missing. This conversation was conducted in front of other customers, and her tone toward me was disrespectful and humiliating.

I then offered to log into my banking app and show her proof of payment for the plastics payment that show the merchant l swipe at which is pep store near by in Ladybrand since I did not have the physical slip anymore. She refused to even look at it and insisted she would only accept a slip.

She then called her manager/assistant, Macdonald, who handled the situation professionally and respectfully. He calmly explained that their branch policy requires customers to buy the plastics from them in order to send parcels there. Although I still feel this policy should have been communicated respectfully, I appreciated the way he addressed me.

However, what shocked me most was Thato Mooko’s behavior toward her own manager/assistant manager. When Macdonald instructed her to assist me, she openly responded in front of me and other customers: “Ake batle ho mo thusa, ebile ake tlo mo thusa.” (“I do not want to help her, and I will not help her.”)

She then proceeded to call the next customer while I was still standing there with my parcels, without even giving me space or time to move them.

Another cashier eventually assisted me respectfully and calmly explained the policy to me. I also explained that the reason I had bought the plastics from another Pep store nearby was because during a previous visit, the same cashier had already given me an bad service while I was trying to get information about PAXI services. During this conversation, she again interrupted and insulted me in front of customers, despite me repeatedly telling her that I was not speaking to her.

The entire experience was extremely distasteful, humiliating, and unprofessional. I strongly believe that this employee requires customer service training and guidance on how to communicate respectfully with customers and colleagues alike.

I am requesting that this matter be investigated seriously, as no customer should be treated in this manner.