Patron who swallowed needle at Stellenbosch restaurant secures victory after 4-year legal battle

JOHANNESBURG - A patron who swallowed a needle at a Stellenbosch restaurant has finally secured a victory after a four-year legal fight for damages.

This after the Western Cape High Court recently ruled in favour of Maxine Williams, who said she ingested a needle-like object in a burger she ordered at Beyerskloof Wine Bar in October 2020.

The eatery, which closed its doors in April 2024, denied responsibility in the ordeal.

According to court papers, Williams and her husband, Jeremy, visited Beyerskloof Wine Bar, described as one of the couple's favourite spots in the area at the time.
Maxine ordered a bottle of wine, water and a burger with sides for both her and Jeremy.

Halfway through her meal, Maxine said she felt discomfort, as though something was lodged in her throat.

"She immediately tried to get it down but struggled profusely. The plaintiff decided to go to the restroom as she started to cough and in a state of panic. As she continued coughing, she attempted to insert her finger into her throat to dislodge the object quickly.

"However, upon noticing some blood in the bathroom basin, she began to cry. After some time, she returned to her husband at the table and informed him that she was unable to discharge the object from her throat."

After struggling to get it down or out, she rushed to the emergency rooms at Stellenbosch Mediclinic.

While adamant that the needle hadn’t come from anywhere but the food, restaurant co-founder Jacque van Straaten, in his testimony, denied the needle came from consumables sold or prepared at the restaurant.

"Alternatively, in the event the court find that the object swallowed by the plaintiff comes from food prepared by the defendant, the defendant denies liability for any alleged damages for the following reasons: the defendant purchased its raw products for preparation of the food from reputable sources that provide raw food products free from any potentially harmful objects that can cause damages; the presence of the type of object allegedly swallowed by the plaintiff is not foreseeable by the defendant in the process of preparing and serving food."

In the judgment, the court said Williams’s claim succeeds on merits, adding the restaurant is liable for damages she may prove in due course to have suffered arising from the needle-like object, including medical costs.

It's unclear at this stage if the restaurant’s former management will appeal or settle.