The young woman who suffered public humiliation when she was allegedly told to stand in a Tekkie Town storefront window with a demeaning sign pinned to her shirt has not yet decided if she will attend a hearing set up by the company.
Tekkie Town confirmed the disciplinary hearing was scheduled for Friday at 1pm.
The company indicated that both parties had confirmed their attendance.
Eighteen-year-old Maxime Lee – who also alleged that her mouth had been taped shut during the incident – said she wanted justice to prevail.
“I want this whole thing behind me,” she said.
“I haven’t even been in the working world for a long time and already I have to deal with such heavy things weighing down on me.”
Lee, of Palmridge, who started working at the shoe store in April, alleged she had been illtreated by her supervisor after she and a colleague were talking and laughing too loudly.
The supervisor, Thozama Spielman, is believed to have pinned a note to Lee’s stomach, which read: “I don’t listen to my supervisor now I’m in the naughty corner.”
Spielman remains suspended from her duties.
Lee said she had been told to stand in the store window, something she at first thought was a joke, but that had changed when she saw people laughing at her.
Lee said she had asked to move from the window and it was then that her mouth had been taped shut.
“Things only started settling in this week. It has affected a lot of things for me – I hardly eat, I am experiencing sleepless nights,” she said.
“I don’t really want to be seen out because people know it is me and the last thing on my mind now is going back to work.
“I am not myself. The embarrassment and humiliation are a lot to deal with.
“I have not been back to the store since the incident and now I am not sure if I want to work in retail again because everyone knows it was me, but I don’t want to be sitting at home either.”
Tekkie Town CEO Riaan van Rooyen said: “Both the supervisor and the affected employee remain in the employment of Tekkie Town.
“The supervisor has been suspended pending a disciplinary hearing, while Miss Lee is on paid, discretionary leave.
“Both parties have indicated that they will be attending the disciplinary hearing on Friday October 19.
“Tekkie Town has also arranged counselling for Miss Lee by a professional of her choice.
“Tekkie Town strongly condemns any behaviour that undermines our staff or customers’ dignity and we have rolled out training across all Tekkie Town stores countrywide to ensure that an incident like this never occurs again.”
Speaking about the counselling sessions offered by Tekkie Town, Lee said the three visits had helped.
“My family have been really great in supporting me, and are always checking up on me, especially my mother.
“The [counselling] sessions have helped, but when I get home my mind goes right back to what’s going on,” she said.