A seemingly routine family outing in Kempton Park turned into a traumatic experience for Jay-Leigh Erasmus, her fiancé Albert Joubert, and their five-month-old son following an unfortunate incident at Festival Mall. The family had been shopping for items for their new home and were preparing to leave when they encountered issues with the mall’s boom gates, which prevented e-hailing services from entering. Forced to walk to a designated pick-up point outside the mall, the family’s journey soon took a distressing turn, resulting in shattered glass that left both Joubert and their infant son injured.
As they navigated the busy mall, carrying groceries and their baby in a car seat, a package containing glass items fell, scattering shards of glass that caused injuries to both the father and the child. Erasmus recounted the harrowing moment, explaining how she had to remove the sharp glass pieces from her son’s face as he bled. “It was terrifying,” she said, adding that the emotional toll of the incident only grew when they returned home. “When we got home, I saw my son’s face covered in dried blood. It broke me,” Joubert recalled, noting that the incident had left their child fearful every time they placed him in his car seat.
Frustration grew as the couple sought assistance from the mall’s management. Despite reporting the incident, they received little initial support or follow-up. Erasmus said that when she called the mall on Monday to address the issue, she was directed to the operations manager, who was unaware of the boom gate malfunction. “I later learned the issue had been ongoing for three days,” Erasmus explained. After contacting Lee-Anne da Silva, the mall’s marketing manager, Erasmus was referred to the mall’s insurance, only to be told a week later that the mall wasn’t liable for the incident. To make matters worse, the insurance representative abruptly hung up on her.
The financial strain caused by the incident has compounded the couple’s frustration. They were forced to repurchase essentials that had been damaged in the accident, and medical consultations for their son’s injuries added to the burden. “We’ve had to repurchase essentials and pay for medical consultations, causing emotional trauma and financial strain,” Erasmus said. The couple insists that their emotional distress goes beyond the broken glass—it’s the lack of accountability and support from the mall that has caused lasting damage to their well-being.
In response to the claims, da Silva confirmed that the malfunctioning boom gate had been resolved promptly, within five minutes, and that security personnel had been deployed to direct vehicles to other operational gates. She also clarified that the mall was not responsible for the incident, stating that, according to the family’s own account, they had accidentally dropped the package. “We regret the inconvenience but cannot be held liable for losses outside our control,” she said, expressing sympathy for the family’s experience but asserting that the mall’s management could not be held accountable for the accident.
Despite the mall’s defense, the couple remains dissatisfied with how the situation was handled. Erasmus emphasized the impact the incident has had on their family, especially their infant son, who is still dealing with the trauma. “As a mother, I understand accidents happen, but my son is only five months old,” she said. “This incident wasn’t just about broken glass; it’s about the trauma and financial burden it caused our family.” The couple’s frustration lies not only in the physical injury sustained but also in the perceived lack of empathy and responsibility shown by the mall’s management.
