Drama over hidden cameras

Hidden cameras reveal theft by staff

VIDEO footage showing cleaners at the Hilton Hotel in Durban eating leftovers inside a bedroom has left their colleagues questioning the privacy of guests at the five-star hotel.

However, both the hotel management and Durban cleaning company Super Clean stress that there are no hidden cameras in rooms occupied by the hotel’s guests.

They had been temporarily placed in rooms to monitor cleaners in the wake of reports of theft.

The Daily News understands that about five cleaning staff have been fired after they were caught on a hidden camera eating chips, sweets and drinking alcoholic drinks, while cleaning the rooms.

Now other cleaners, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were worried about their privacy while working in the rooms.

“The only cameras we were aware of are those in the passage area,” a cleaner said.

“There are no visible cameras in hotel rooms and we were never made aware of this. This is shocking and we want to know why.

“This is clearly a violation of privacy of the guests and us as workers,” said the cleaner.

On April 11, the cleaning staff accused of stealing the food and who appeared in the video footage, were called to a room and were shown the video.

“We were shocked. We were wondering how the video was taken because it showed most parts of the room from the bed to the dressing table and the curtains, but as soon as you move towards the door, the image disappears.

“The video clearly shows that the camera is fixed inside the hotel room,” said a cleaner.

According to the cleaner, the video clip has been shown to almost all the cleaners and was used as a warning to others.

After complaints of theft from guests’ rooms, Super Clean decided to install the cameras to catch the culprits.

The suspects were served with suspension letters informing them of an internal hearing as part of a disciplinary action against them.

“At the hearing, we admitted guilt and apologised for our actions.

“We would not have done what we did if we knew that there were cameras in the room.

“We consumed the food because we didn’t want it to go to waste, although we knew that it was not allowed and that we were supposed to dispose of it,” said a cleaner.

Another concerned cleaner said the main worry was that the installation of the cameras compromised the privacy of guests and the issue should have been communicated to the staff as a warning.

“Sometimes, while cleaning the rooms, I tend to pull my skirt up to adjust my stockings underneath; that on its own is an invasion of my privacy if there are hidden cameras. I would obviously not do such in passages where there are visible cameras,” said another cleaner.

Angry

The cleaners were angry and wanted the hotel management and Super Clean to remove the cameras, she said.

Hilton Durban general manager Markus Fritz said the hidden cameras were placed as a temporary compliance and safety project set up by Super Clean.

“We would like to confirm there are no permanent hidden cameras installed at Hilton Durban,” he said, referring enquiries about housekeeping services to Super Clean.

Richard Manthey, of Super Clean, admitted that cameras were installed after the company’s investigation indicated that acts of misconduct were carried out by members of the cleaning staff.

As part of the investigation, certain rooms which were not occupied by guests were monitored by cameras, and as a result, there was “no question” of guests’ privacy being infringed.

“The employer has a right to monitor employees performing work from time to time and this is not an infringement of the right to privacy, especially in circumstances when employees are videoed committing acts of misconduct,” he said.

He said that the cameras had since been removed.

After the investigation, employees participated in a disciplinary inquiry at which they responded to the allegations of theft of the hotel’s assets.

“After considering all the evidence, the employees were found to have transgressed a material term of their employment obligations and a decision was made to terminate their services,” he said.

Manthey added that the standard policy in any employment relationship was that dismissal was the appropriate sanction if employees were found guilty of stealing from the employer.

In this case, the dismissed employees were aware of the rule in place at the hotel, he said.