Tiger’s Milk removes killers’ names from themed bathrooms after backlash

Tiger’s Milk has apologised and removed the names of notorious killers from the décor of its themed bathrooms after a video of the display sparked public outrage.

What happened

A video showing the names of convicted South African murderer and rapist Thabo Bester and American serial killer Ted Bundy displayed inside the restaurant’s unisex bathrooms prompted the backlash. The installation also reportedly included a portrait of Rosa Parks.

Restaurant response

In a statement, Tiger’s Milk said the bathrooms were part of a military-themed interior and were “earmarked as the ‘prison’ in the initial interior designs.”

The brand acknowledged the sensitivity of the decision and apologised, saying it understood that the display “in a country’s volatile climate towards women can be communicated as deeply insensitive.”

“We would like to confirm that our operations team responded swiftly and have since removed the text,” the restaurant said.

They added:

“Once again, we are sincerely sorry and appreciate you for bringing this to our attention.”

Context

The apology came amid heightened public concern over violence against women. The article notes that police were investigating the deaths of five women whose bodies had been found in the Kempton Park area and surrounding areas over roughly two months, and that police had warned women to exercise extreme caution.

Police had also said investigators had not established that the cases were linked or that a serial killer was responsible.

Actions taken

• Tiger’s Milk removed the offending text from the bathrooms.
• The restaurant issued an apology to those offended by the display.

The incident reignited conversations about the safety of women and sensitivity in public spaces.