access to movie house - age restriction measurements/checks

During the week 7-10 March, my cousin (Gillian Stevens) purchased 7 movie tickets online through the Ster Kinekor app to watch Batman in IMAX at Blue Route Shopping Centre.

When we arrived at Ster Kinekor on Friday evening (11 March), we collected the tickets at the kiosk counter and also bought snacks. No questions were raised by any of the kiosk staff about our presence or purchases at that time.

However, when we stood in line to have our tickets checked, it was only then that a Ster Kinekor staff member informed us about an age-restriction (rated 16) on the Batman movie, and then inquired about my daughter's age. When said staff member found out that my daughter was under-age, he refused us entrance to the cinema on the grounds of company policy regarding age restrictions.

I then went to the manager at the kiosk counter, whose identity was not given at the time, to ask what could be done to assist or rectify the situation, seeing as we were keen to watch the movie. I explained to her that we purchased the tickets online and wasn't aware of any age restriction on the Batman movie. The manager's initial response was to tell me that there will be no refund. I then explained the situation fully to her and told her I couldn't leave my daughter outside the cinema. I asked the manager if we could watch another movie instead. But she was swamped with other customers at the time and not really focused on me and my issue. She then told me she needed to escalate my request, but didn't have the requisite access to do so at the time. I was then shunted to the side because this unnamed manager had to attend to other people who were now queuing up at the kiosk amd to over ride something at the collection counter.

In short, my daughter and I were refused admittance to the Batman movie due to the alleged age restriction, which wasn't noticeable on the online ticket booking screen in the Ster Kinekor app. I showed the unnamed manager this was the case on my phone. While waiting for the rest of my family to come out of the Batman movie, I then noticed a little kid walk out of the same Batman cinema. I was puzzled by this and questioned the same ground staff member who refused my daughter and I entrance as well as other staff members in the near vicinity. They were unable to clarify the situation for me.

I then requested to speak to the branch manager, who I then discovered was the same unnamed manager who failed to previously assist me. She claimed that the father of that small kid showed her an ID proving the kid was 16 years old.

My concern is that this kid looked far younger than 16, yet was allowed entrance to the Batman movie while my daughter was denied access. Also, how did his father know to bring an ID for a kid to the cinema? He had two kids with him - did he bring two sets of ID documents to show the manager they were of age?

There is NO proper "policing" in place to ensure kids are of age to watch certain movies. We ARE NOT TREATED the same. Why was that kid allowed entrance and mine weren't? Was it because he was with his dad? For what possible reason was I as a parent not allowed to be present with both my kids (my son was admitted to Batman without issue) in the cinema?

I am sure you can see that this kid was not 16 years old. You should also examine your own video surveillance feeds for the order of events.

The kid in question is wearing a grey top with blue and red sleeves.

I am disgusted with the treatment my family and I received from the staff at Ster Kinekor. I assure you I will be taking this matter as far as possible.