Not safe from ****s and Stuff at Tsogo owned SUN1 Richards Bay

In our Day 25 of our 31 days cycling campaing against gender based violence. We checked into the SUN1 Richards Bay Hotel on the 19th December 2018.

The Campaign: Background

Ride Abuse a Non Profit Company, cycling 2000km, across 4 African Countries over 31 days, 2 Men cycling with 1 Message #AbuseSTOPSwithme.

Campaign Started on the 25 November 2018 in Limpopo and ends in Mozambique on the 25 December. The 2 Men, Lunga Ncala and Ronald Mathebula cycle daily from Town to Town teaching about abuse and its effects on sociaty.

The campaign is sponsored by Cycle Life SA. a SOWETO based cycle shop.

The incident at SUN1 Hotel Richards Bay.

We checked in on the 19th December 2018 at the SUN1 Richards Bay Hotel. The hotel is owned and managed by Tsogo Sun.

We informed the front desk manager Mr Jacobs our work and why we are in Richards Bay. We then requested to place the bicycles in a safe and secure place, like our rooms or their storage. This is a request we make to all the hotels we have slept in. We were refused in our request and informed that we should park our follow on car loaded with our bicycles under their CCTV camera, they will be safe there and they reassured us that they also have a 24/hour security who will ensure the safety of our bicycles.

Reluctantly we trusted the manager as he insisted that there is nothing to worry about, the bicycles are SAFE.

They took responsibility to secure our bicycles.

In the morning of the 20th December we wake up to 1 of our bicycles ******!!!!!! The purpose of our work is to cycle, how then do we do our work without our tool?

We reported this to the front desk. And how they handled our issue left a bitter taste in our mouths.

1. The front desk manager was dismissive and rude towards us. 2. When the police requested to see the footage of the CCTV camera, they where told that it needs the manager to entre a code. 3. We were told that Mr Jacobs is just the front desk welcome guy and The manager Dirk is based in Durban and will come sometime in the wee**** we cycle daily. 4. We call Dirk numerous times and when he finally picks up we inform him all the above and all he says is, "Sorry is all i have for you, we are not liable and CCTV footage can only be viewed by police" 5. I then refferred him to their discliamer which in part states "In the case of hotel stuff negligence, the hotel will be held responsible" 6. Even after i mention that, he is dismissive and says i should take it up with Head Office. He is not involved. He gives me no number to call. 7. I then requested him to send ne an email of what ge is sayibg so i can have written proof. Till now he has not. 8. After the call we return to Mr Jacobs. Only to find Mr Jacobs wife or girlfriend viewing footage and we are not allowed to view, which is wrong because we are the ones wronged here. When i ask him the creditials of the person reviewing the footage he says no. She works for the CCTV company. 9. During this whole time we have already made a statement with the police. And recieved a case number. Thank you SAPS Richards Bay for your quick response. 10. We called Tsogo Sun numerous times with no one to assist us. 11. Apprently Our bicycles were ****** at 4am. But the camera doesnt show the person taking it. We take his word for it because he refused for us to see the video. Why cant you see the person i asked Mr Jacobs says the van is parked just off the view of the CCTV. I ask a follow up question, how is that possible when we parked at thevery spot you informed us to part at. You reasured me that the bicycles are in sight of CCTV.

I felt like i was **** too because all that i was promised never happened!!!!!!!

We left SUN 1 RICHARDS BAY hotel, with one less bike and a hotel that has left us in the cold. No one is speaking to us. No one is taking responsibility, no seems to care beyond the money we pay for booking.

We understand that crime happens. However we all need to be accountable to promises made and uphold the polices placed for the safety of guests and their property Especially when the hotel took responsibility of our property. What makes this situation even worse is the manner in which we were treated by SUN 1 Richards Bay after we followed all the correct steps in these kinds of situations.