Unapologetic Durban restaurant charges toilet fee

To pee or not to pee‚ that is the R40 question.

A Durban man is ”pissed off” about having to fork out R40 for him and his wife to use the rest room at a beachfront eatery.

Reeza Khan took to social media on Tuesday to vent about the R20-per-person fee that Jolly Grubber charges non-customers to use the facilities.

• We speak to the Durban man charged R20 for a pee at a beachfront restaurantDurban’s Reeza Khan – who was charged R20 to use the restroom at a Durban restaurant – has revealed that he was even charged VAT for his pee. 

“In my whole entire existence on this earth.. this is the most expensive p*** I’ve ever taken... R20 each to use the rest rooms.. That’s ridiculous... oh wowwww and to top it off‚ we even received a slip for the facilities used #daylightrobberybutatnight‚" he said.

His post has gone viral‚ being shared close to 900 times in just two days and getting 200 comments‚ with the reaction mixed.

Attempts to get hold of Khan via Facebook were unsuccessful on Thursday.

Jolly Grubber has a notice posted at the entrance stating that the toilets are for its customers only.

Shirley Berko via Facebook

Picture: Shirley Berko via facebook

“Buying just drinks will not qualify you to use these toilets. Therefore it is unlawful/dishonest/theft/haraam to use this facility without permission. Service charge of R20 per person payable at the counter. This is not a public toilet‚” the sign reads.

Jolly Grubber owner Junaid Moola defended his decision to charge the R20 fee.

“It’s private property‚ customers only. There is a public toilet in the vicinity‚ people can use that.”

Moola said the R20 fee would cover the costs of cleaners‚ water and electricity.

“R20 is not even enough. We have the issue of buying a R10 bottle of water and there will be four of them wanting to use the toilet‚ where is the logic?”

Moola said Khan ate at another restaurant in the vicinity and came to use his facilities.

“For my customers it’s free‚ enjoy. I have a sign that warns people that we are not a public facility‚ they must pay the R20.”

Three other restaurants on the Durban beachfront said their toilets were for customers only‚ and encouraged non-customers to either use public toilets or to buy something. But none of them had a specific charge for non-customers.

"If you do want to use the toilets‚ we encourage you to buy an ice cream cone or something‚" said a manager at Wimpy.

- TMG Digital/TimesLIVE