Watch: Stellenbosch McDonald’s brawl caught on video: Police say no charges filed

Police have confirmed that no criminal case has been registered following a video circulating on social media showing an alleged altercation inside a McDonald’s restaurant in Stellenbosch during the early hours of Saturday morning.

Western Cape police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said SAPS is aware of the footage.

“SAPS is aware of the video footage that is circulating on social media, however no criminal case was registered,” he said.

The widely shared 44-second clip shows multiple individuals engaged in a physical confrontation inside the fast-food outlet. It opens with two young men exchanging blows while two others wrestle on the floor. Another altercation breaks out between a separate pair, with one tackling the other to the ground. A further individual appears to attempt to stomp on the head of a person lying on the floor before throwing several more punches. More people join the fracas before the video cuts out.

Posts accompanying the video claim the incident involved individuals believed to be students from Stellenbosch University. It is alleged that the situation escalated after a group of intoxicated patrons harassed staff members. The behaviour described includes whistling at employees, tugging at their caps and making remarks perceived as racially offensive, before tensions reportedly boiled over into a physical fight.

McDonald's South Africa said it is aware of the incident and will cooperate with authorities.

“We are aware of the incident and will cooperate with the relevant authorities, the safety of our crew and customers is our priority,” the company said.

Responding to media enquiries, Stellenbosch University spokesperson, Martin Viljoen, confirmed that the institute was aware of the incident. 

No additional information was available at the time of publication.

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