Reza Mahomed fears losing his eye after being assaulted at a restaurant at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium. Picture: Shelley Kjonstad Reza Mahomed fears losing his eye after being assaulted at a restaurant at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium. Picture: Shelley Kjonstad
Reza Mahomed is at risk of losing his left eye after being assaulted by a manager at Nino’s restaurant at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday.
Mahomed, of Durban, said he and his wife were at Nino’s at about 11.15am when the incident occurred.
“We waited for about 15 or 20 minutes before I asked a waiter if we could please have some service. This was when the manager screamed out that he couldn’t handle it any more and turned around and hit me in my face while I was seated,” he said.
Mahomed said the manager had a set of keys in his hand, which cut him below his left eye. He received eight stitches for the wound.
He said the manager became agitated because other patrons had also complained that they had not received service for up to an hour before the incident took place.
“I was bleeding profusely and when I questioned staff about the name of the manager, they did not want to say who he was or give any of his details. When I looked for the manager, he had left the premises,” he said.
“Because I have diabetes, the wound has become infected and it is at risk of turning septic. I may have to have surgery on my eye,” he said.
The owner of the Nino’s franchise at the stadium, Afzal Razak, there had been “an unfortunate incident and a misunderstanding between the patron and the manager”.
“The manger involved is not an aggressive person and we did not expect this incident to happen.
“Customers do tend to become aggressive and agitated, but under no circumstances should a patron ever be assaulted in a restaurant by staff. We do not condone it in any way and the incident is being investigated,” Razak said.
He said he did not want to reveal the manager’s details as he feared for the man’s safety.
“Patrons wanted to assault the manager. The manager involved is not a person who would normally react in this way and many of the patrons are fond of him, but he has since been suspended and will appear for a disciplinary hearing,” he said.
Police Captain Thulani Zwane said a case of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm was being investigated by Durban Central police. “No arrests have been made at this stage and the investigation continues,” Zwane said.