SP
Sheena P

1 reviews | Active since May 2017

05 Apr 2020, 07:20

Racial Complaint

As an essential worker, I have to be at work everyday during the lockdown. On Friday, I was informed by mall security, that should I need any lunch that I did not have to jump the Q but merely walk to the front of the line and show security my permit proving I’m an essential worker and that I would be let in the store.

On Friday at around 11, I did this and purchased 2 pies and a strip of Easter eggs. At about 13;00/14:00 I returned to the store as I was sent to buy the manager lunch and this is where I was stopped. A very rude and arrogant supervisor with a reflector jacket on told the security to not let me in and I must go away. When I asked the security to speak to him he would not come to the door. I then insisted on speaking to the store manager that they took over 5 minutes to call and kept telling me, wait his coming. The store manager then came and explained that I needed to Q and that he is only allowed 50 people in his store as per COVID rules which I accepted and walked away. What upsets me then is when I was waiting for the store manager, 2 other medical staff came to the same door where the security was at and he just let them in. Is this a racial thing? Because why was 2 other medical staff (that was in uniform) allowed to enter the store and I wasn’t (I work in casual clothing) why was 2 black ladies allowed in the store in front of me telling the security to merely open yet I was chased away. During this pandemic, surely pick n pay should allow a any single staff member to enter and purchase only food to be consumed for lunch and not purchase trolley loads? Would I have to had been in uniform to enter the store or was it because I was not the correct skin color for the security to just let people walk past me without even verifying if they indeed were medical staff?

0
Replies (1)
Pick n Pay
Pick n Pay's reply06 Apr 2020, 09:06
Official
Good day  Sheena,

Thank you for choosing Pick n Pay. Please accept our apologies for the delay in response and any inconveniences caused to you. We view this incident in a very serious light, we are busy addressing this with our management team. We value you as a Pick n Pay customer and are committed to improve continually on our service levels. We appreciate your patience and understanding at this very difficult time.  Kind regards,
The Pick n Pay Team