Disgraceful service by Woolworths Olivedale Manager - Simphiwe

On Tuesday the 5th of November 2024 at around 08:30 when Woolworths Olivedale branch just opened. I was in the process of picking up two cakes for my daughter’s 4th birthday party at the school, when I turned around to go to the pay station and bumped into an extremely rude manager by the name of Simphiwe. He approached me about a service/ guide dog that I am currently training. He informed me that no dogs are allowed when I advised it was a service dog in training I was informed to “get out” as I was not blind. I tried to explain the situation and the manager “Simphiwe “and advised along the lines of “No get out I’m not blind”. He would not even let me speak. I tried again to advise him that Woolworths at Cedar square and Lonehill do not treat me like this, and he still went off and told me to put the cakes down. When I asked for his details so that I could escalate he refused and advised that I could take a photograph of his name tag and face to use. Never in my life have I ever been so disrespected and as a customer not even got the opportunity to talk or even compromise as there was no one else in the shop that I would have inconvenienced. Regardless of the guide dog, I am horrified that as an individual a retail manager could speak to a customer like that and think it’s acceptable and then to be backed by a reputable name of Woolworths, I would assume they would treat their customers better and have empathy for people with DISABILITIES after all I am training a service dog.