All Simon Moleko wanted was a McFeast meal at his local McDonald’s in Hillbrow, Joburg – but instead he received a sjambokking after complaining that his order was taking too long.
Moleko, 25, says he went to the McDonald’s on the corner of Claim and Pretorius streets at about 4am on Monday. He ordered a medium McFeast meal.
“After a while I asked to speak to the manager. I told him I had been waiting for a long time and that in that time, other customers who had come after me had already received their food,” said Moleko. He said the manager had told him that he could either wait for his food or leave.
When Moleko turned around, he felt a sharp pain across the left side of his face. The security guard had hit him with a sjambok.
Moleko said he then turned to the manager of the shop. “The manager didn’t say anything as the security guard kept hitting me with his sjambok.” He was struck on the neck and across his back and arms.
Outside the eatery, Moleko saw a police patrol van and approached the cops for help. He said they called for the security guard to come out of the shop, but he refused.
The police then advised him to open a case at the Hillbrow police station, which Moleko did after visiting the Hillbrow Clinic.
Sergeant Jenny Pillay, spokeswoman for the Hillbrow police station, said a case of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm had been opened. “The case is being investigated and we are expecting to make an arrest.”
Moleko’s brother Sello said that later on Monday morning, he had gone to the McDonald’s and seen his brother’s order still behind the counter. “I asked why they had beaten my brother. I was told that the security guard was not properly trained.” Sello said he had approached lawyers and planned to take legal action.
A spokesman for McDonald’s, Sechaba Motsieloa, said on Tuesday the company was aware of the incident and that there would be an internal investigation.
The Star