Attempted ***ual assault

On 22nd January 2018, I went shopping at Lambton, Germiston Pick n Pay, together with my boyfriend. I required the facilities of the ladies bathroom. I left my boyfriend to pay for the shopping and went to the bathroom. The door to bathroom was padlocked closed. There were no signs or information of any kind advising why this was, so I went back to the teller, Aletta Manamela, who advised that I needed a key, from Ronald.

Ronald unlocked the door and then as I was using the only working toilet cubicle, I heard the padlock locking the door and then men’s voices in the bathroom. I could not make out what was said. I stopped myself from urinating and I panicked as I thought I was going to be attacked in the bathroom. I am a twice ****d survivor and this situation was absolutely terrifying to me, I tried not to cry and hyperventilate, all I could think of was running out and away. I did not see anybody, I ran to the top of the stairs to find that I was locked inside the bathroom. When I looked through the door there was a lady member of staff waiting to go into the bathroom.

My boyfriend then came to the bathroom entrances and saw that I was locked in. He started telling Ronald to open the door and it was wrong of him to lock me in there. Ronald advised that it was a Rule*, and we were complaining to the wrong person. We repeatedly requested a manager, none was forthcoming.

*I cannot believe this is such a Rule established by Pick n Pay aside from the various obvious hazards (i.e fire) of locking someone in a bathroom. I am pretty sure the police are the only ones allowed to lock someone up as required by Law. Human Rights Violation? Surely with our society that has numerous victims of violent crime that such inaction of that Rule would result in a traumatic event.

We left the shop with my boyfriend complaining very loudly, there was no manager or helpful anything from any of your staff members (several of whom were standing around watching the show).

My boyfriend had to go back inside the shop as we left our umbrella at the counter. He then saw Ronald “patting down”/”feeling up” two ladies who where going to use the bathroom. When he told me this it upset me even further.

I needed to go to my doctor as I was severely traumatised after this. It brought back bad memories, nightmares and other terrible after effects.

I have been told by my lawyers after several months of backwards and forwards that they cannot actually help me- lay ******** or civil charges- in a country which I thought had basic human rights, does in fact not.

The owner Jacques van Wyk admitted to the existence of CCTV Footage and that they could clearly see the incident and had sent the employee to a disciplinary hearing. Their insurer AIG have fobbed off my complaint without explanation or evidence of an investigation.

I complained to Pick n Pay headquarters via their website portal and their ethics department at ********** on the 23rd January 2018.

To date Pick n Pay headquarters have failed to respond and neither have the ethics department even acknowledged the complaint.

Now I wish to make the public aware of what happened and that a Country that I thought a person had rights does not actually have any. Apparently you can be treated any which way someone else wishes and if you are harmed- tough.

I wish to plead to anyone who can assist me. How can it be that I am being told that someone can do anything they like and there is little or no legal remedy?