*Firm Suspends Two
An elderly woman filmed after allegedly being caught shoplifting at Shoprite has received an outpouring of support after the video sparked concern among South Africans.
In the footage, a female security guard is seen searching the woman and removing items including a small bag of rice, chicken pieces, beef stew, green pepper and body lotion.
In some climes, the woman would first be beaten black and blue before police comes to the rescue.
But in South Africa, the incident quickly became a wider conversation about poverty, dignity and the struggles faced by elderly people as citizens of the late Nelson Mandela’s country remembered their religious piety.
When the video went viral, media personality Mandisi Tshingana quickly rallied support for the woman, reportedly raising R25,000 (about N2.01m) in just two hours and later about R50,000 (close to N5m) by 7:00am yesterday.
Tshingana said instead of laughing, people reached into their pockets and donated to the old woman after being made aware of her plight.
He said he had initially planned to raise R10,000, but that people had exceeded his expectations by donating much more.
He wants to go further and raise money for a Christmas food voucher and help repair the woman’s home following claims that it was broken into.
What began as a painful moment has now brought people together to help.
Meanwhile, ShopRite in a statement disclosed that it has suspended from duties two of its staff members who shared the video of the elderly woman being interrogated by security.
The firm clarified that the employees, who it described as third-party service providers, acted well outside their duties in circulating the video without official authorization.
*PHOTO CAPTION: The woman (right) and a security guard.
