Habanero Menlyn Schisanyama has set the record straight following claims that it made one of its staffers, Olwethu, pay towards a patron’s R10 000 bill.
In a response posted on its social media platform, Habanero said management never forced any waitron to settle any bill, let alone the staffer who is a long-serving and valuable team member.
The claims surfaced on social media earlier this week where infamous tweep, Man's NOT Barry Roux asked tweeps to assist a waitron.
“Kindly assist Habanero Menlyn restaurant in locating this thug. He ordered drinks for R10 000 plus and left wthout paying! The worker who served him just used all her savings to pay the restaurant with the money she was saving for her child. Retweet for awareness,” read the tweet along with a photograph of the man.
Kindly assist Habanero Menlyn restaurant in locating this thug. He ordered drinks for R10 000 plus and left without paying! The worker who served him just used all her savings to pay the restaurant with the money she was saving for her child.
— Man’s NOT Barry Roux (@AdvoBarryRoux) March 20, 2023
Retweet For Awareness. pic.twitter.com/FKyVNxqg12
In their response, the establishment called the post “drivel”.
The restauran's Kim Mapheto said the post was untrue.
"Sekujwane Mofokeng is a Habanero customer like any other customer and not a thug. On that evening, he and a group of friends had a bill of R10 000. Mofokeng paid an amount of R5 000 towards the bill and his friends paid R1 500, however there was an outstanding amount of R3700 which could not be settled and that's where the issue started between the customer and Olwethu. Mofokeng agreed with the waitress to return the following day to settle the bill," Mapheto said.
He said Mofokeng did not return and after trying to reach him for a few days without success, Olwethu confided in an individual who sent a factually incorrect story to his friend, @AdvoBarryRoux and it was posted on Twitter.
Mapheto said Mofokeng admitted his fault for taking more than seven days to pay the balance of the R3 700 and has apologised to the waitress and Habanero and his apology was accepted.
“He remains our customer and we regard him as a human being who makes mistakes like every one of us and we commend him for owning up to his mistake.
“Collectively we resolved to let it be up to Aiden Chaggie and Advo Barry Roux to decide on whether they will retract the story and apologise to Habanero, Olwethu and Mofokeng for publishing a grossly distorted and obviously malicious story that has the potential to endanger him and tarnish all of our names,” Mapheto said.
IOL