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

’Tiger’s Milk has apologised and removed the names of notorious killers, including Thabo Bester and Ted Bundy, from its themed bathrooms after a woman’s video sparked outrage.

A Tiger’s Milk restaurant has apologised after a woman’s video showing the names of notorious killers inside its bathrooms sparked outrage, with the controversy unfolding as SA grapples with yet another wave of fears around violence against women.

The video showed names including convicted South African murderer and rapist Thabo Bester and American serial killer Ted Bundy displayed inside the restaurant’s themed bathrooms.

The bizarre decor also reportedly featured a portrait of American civil rights icon Rosa Parks, adding to the questions surrounding the thinking behind the installation.

In a statement, the restaurant said the bathrooms formed part of a military-themed interior design, with the unisex bathrooms originally intended to represent a “prison”.

“The store's military theme was carried through to the unisex bathrooms which was earmarked as the ‘prison’ in the initial interior designs,” the restaurant said.

The brand acknowledged that the decision to display the names of serial killers was particularly insensitive given SA’s current climate.

“We acknowledge that the names of serial killers in our restrooms, in a country's volatile climate towards women can be communicated as deeply insensitive,” it said.

Police are currently investigating the deaths of five women whose bodies have been found in the Kempton Park area and surrounding areas over roughly two months.

The deaths have sparked fears that a serial killer could be operating in the area, although police have stressed that investigators have not established that the cases are linked or that a serial killer is responsible.

Police have warned women in and around Kempton Park to exercise extreme caution after detectives identified concerning similarities in some of the cases.

The latest developments have once again placed the safety of women at the centre of national conversations around gender-based violence.

Against this backdrop, the sight of the names of notorious killers in a women-accessible restroom understandably raised eyebrows.

Tiger’s Milk said its operations team acted quickly after the issue was brought to its attention.