Elspark Golf Driving Range t/a El'Vetties Family Venue

Threats and ************ After Honest Complaint

We attended a Thursday Bingo evening at EL’Vetties / Foresters at the Range. Initially, we had a lovely time — the vibe was great, and my daughter enjoyed the play area. Later in the evening, after the third Bingo round, the owner, Elco Scheepers, stood up and asked for donations for his son’s cricket. He shared a heartfelt story about how his son could no longer play after a knee injury. The story felt sincere, and the MC even mentioned that Elco “never asks for help,” which made it feel even more personal. My husband was moved and wanted to donate R100, but we didn’t have cash — so I asked if we could just add it to our bill. Later that evening, my husband left to wait in the car (he had to work early the next day), and I stayed behind with our daughter to pay the bill. This is where everything changed. Our bill was R1280. I told the waiter I could only pay R1300, as my husband was meant to cover the evening’s expenses and I had debit orders going off my account the next day. But the waiter kept pushing — both for more money and for the cricket donation — and repeatedly asked, “How much do you want to make it?” even after I had clearly said “R1300” several times. I explained that the donation was something my husband had wanted to do, not me, and that he had already left. I was growing anxious — my daughter was with me, and my husband was waiting alone outside — so I eventually gave in and said, “Fine, make it R1400 and just let me go, please.” The waiter attempted the payment but said it hadn’t gone through. I didn’t receive a bank notification either, so I paid again — this time, R1300 —firmly stating that I did not wish to contribute to the cricket fund. I made sure the payment went through, and we left. When I got home, I saw that both amounts — R1400 and R1300 — had been deducted from my account. I reached out to Elco that same night. He said he would look into it, but only after several follow-ups did he respond — sending a voice note insisting that the situation was “not *********,” that I was wrong to suggest it was, and that I shouldn’t “spread rumors.” He said I would have to wait until he had time to check his side — maybe over the weekend, maybe later — and imp**** I was overreacting. I explained that I was being penalised for their mistake, and that it wasn’t fair to hold onto someone else’s money while delaying a resolution. He later phoned me and said all the waiters claimed I had paid the extra amount as a donation. He told me that I should come back to the venue and sit with him and all his male waiters to “sort it out.” I again explained the full story. He then asked for my banking details to process a refund — but not before warning me that he would “take this further” because I had apparently withdrawn a donation from “his son’s cricket fund,” and that he “knows many lawyers.” Eventually, he did refund the R1400, and I am grateful for that. But the emotional cost — the pressure I was placed under, the gaslighting, the subtle ************ and threats — was deeply upsetting. I did not “spread rumors.” I shared the truth of what happened to me. I still believe in honesty, kindness, and treating customers with respect. But what happened to me was not okay. After I posted a calm, factual review about the emotional toll of the experience, their public response accused me of being drunk, that my husband and I fought, and that I “made a scene.” None of this is true. Worse — I was contacted privately via WhatsApp by the owner’s wife, who I never gave my number to, and sent a screenshot of my review along with a message defending their conduct and implying dishonesty. This is not just about a refund. This is about how customers are treated when they raise a concern — in this case, with pressure, dismissal, and subtle threats. We won’t return. And I believe the public deserves to know what happened.