Angry Mother

Good evening

I want to lodge a formal complaint of an incident that took place this evening 15 Dec 2023 at the Northgate Cinemax.

I dropped my kids (x6) at 20:15 for the Avatar movie showing at the same time. The kids were told they can’t watch a movie that’s already started but were intentionally sold tickets for 19:45 (a whole hour later). Purposefully because Cinemax doesn’t refund tickets where movies have started longer than 45 minutes. How convenient!

The kids highlighted that the movie started almost an hour ago and what they wanted was 20:15 and would rather get a refund. At which point there were exchanges and snide comments said to children between the ages of 9 and 19 years of age. This is when they decide to call me to help.

I drove through because none of the staff wanted to take the phone to talk to me. The manager at the desk on this night advised that they dont sell movies that have already started and they don’t refund. This is preposterous given that they sold the kids an hour old movie knowing full well their own rules and that they don’t refund.

This is an abuse of authority and is exploitation and quite frankly shocking customer service. Needless to say I am quite angry and my kids still in shock at the mistreatment having being called ‘these white kids’ because they don’t speak vernacular but were brave enough to standup for themselves. Furthermore being bullied to buy snacks because Cinemax doesn’t sell tickets without snacks. What nonsense!! With snide comments that how do they purchase 6 tickets and can’t afford snacks. Saying that ‘bayaphapha, bavele babona imoto bagcumkela’.

Really! Such speech targeted at kids between 8 and 19 years! Your staff should be ashamed!

It’s disturbing that we cannot trust the adults who are entrusted to operate this facility in the absence of the owners. Where we send our children on their own thinking they will be safe and free from chancers and crooks.

After demanding a refund - I was given the torn ticket to redeem on another day. I had to insist that the manager and other staff write and commit their names, contact details so that I don’t struggle when I return to redeem these torn tickets which they refused to reprint or give me something decent. See attached

Thato, Derrick and Njabulo - shocking pathetic service. The snide comments and rhetoric targeted at minors is disgusting.

Thank you Ntokozo Chabalala for being empathetic and caring and showing remorse and willingness to help resolve this.

It was important for me to make you aware and to alert your management team/owners of this unbelievable staff behavior and to show you this dilapidated ticket. I don’t want drama when I come redeem these tickets.

Angry Mother!