Publications
Partners
A Stellenbosch gym-goer will have to do his lifts and rope work at home after being banned for life from all Virgin Active outlets for apparently masturbating in full view of other people exercising.
A fellow gym member filmed the incident which happened on Thursday.
In the clip, the man, dressed in red gym gear is seated on an exercise mat, his gaze fixed on his cellphone. His other hand is down his shorts, tugging movements visible through his red shorts.
A white towel is draped over a part of his body, but he continues the tugging moements as a woman and a man exercise a metre or so away from him.
The video was captured from one of the exercise machines by another gym-goer at the club's Stellenbosch branch, and has since been shared on WhatsApp and social media.
Banned for life
Virgin Active spokesperson Carla White told News24 he had been banned for life.
"Virgin Active is aware of a video circulating on social media and WhatsApp," she said in a later statement.
"Our clubs are shared spaces and we will absolutely not tolerate depraved behaviour.
"We commenced our investigation as soon as we received the video. We have identified the member in question and have terminated his membership with immediate effect."
It is unclear at this stage if the man's actions will have any criminal consequences.
News24 has blurred his identity because his age has not yet been verified.
In a post of the video, @heleneargy tweets: "I want to see this man's face go viral. This was at the Virgin Active in Stellenbosch @virginactiveSA Absolutely Abysmal behaviour.
The gym group tweeted: "Hi! We agree and action has been taken."
KEEP UPDATED on the latest news by subscribing to our FREE newsletter.
- FOLLOW News24 on Twitter
