Saint Lounge has hit back, saying they are not afraid of contravening the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popi) after releasing the names and pictures of non-paying clients.
Social media was abuzz on Sunday, as the lavish and popular Cape Town Saint Lounge threatened to expose customers who have not paid them.
The announcement was made on their social media account on Sunday morning. Staying true to to their words, Sunday evening Saint Lounge published the pictures and names of those with outstanding balances.
Prior to this exposé, Saint issued a statement detailing how they had tried to persuade the non-payers to settle their bills. According to Saint Lounge, it was the very last resort to get monies owed to them. Saint Lounge then gave an update, thanking those who had settled their bills amid the expose warning, and proceeded to expose those who ignored their warning.
"The exposed people have sent messages, expressing their dissatisfaction with being exposed. But no law suits have come in yet,” said the operations manager at the establishment.
He declined to give his surname, but revealed that his name was Oliver.
"We are not afraid of lawsuits and contravention of the Popi Act" Oliver said.
A legal expert, who asked not to be named, said the management at Saint was not in contravention of the act.
"When clients of Saint Lounge have their pictures taken, they involuntarily consent to their pictures being used by the establishment. If the pictures posted are at Saint, by Saint photographers, Saint management is not in contravention of the Popi Act. Moreover, if Saint Lounge contacted the clients to warn them of their identities exposed, it is not a contravention of the Popi Act. It is only a contravention, if the client disputed their identities being revealed, and cited human dignity as a reason of not wanting to be exposed, is it then a contravention of the Popi Act,” the expert said.
It was field day on social media on Sunday, as Twitter and Instagram users commented and retweeted posts with the exposed non-payers’ identities.
Saint issued another warning, that if the exposed non-payers did not settle their bill's, they would expose them again tonight at 7pm.
Saint, which is famous for throwing lavish parties, hosting some of South Africa's biggest stars and social media influencers.
Saint Lounge is adamant that they will continue to post clients who don’t pay, until they do.
