A video of a woman being assaulted by security guards at a Usave Shoprite in Cosmo City has gone viral on social media.
WATCH VIDEO:
https://www.facebook.com/taphinda/videos/10215008641188222/
The assault took place on 7 October and came after the woman’s three-year-old daughter allegedly relieved herself outside the store. In the video, you see the mother being roughly handcuffed by two security guards while being pushed to the ground.
As this takes place you see her daughter crying next to her as she clutches her mother’s handcuffed wrists.
Social media users were outraged by the incident:
The Cosmo City USave Shoprite incident 💔. I thought the lady was caught shoplifting. We just don't love each other 💔
— Vho-Rasikhanya (@LJRasi) October 8, 2017
This looks like abuse of power. USave Cosmo City, you could have handled this differently.
***
Thabiso Phinda… https://t.co/eqeZApoNfV— Thobile Nxumalo (@ThobileNxumalo) October 7, 2017
What Shoprite had to say:
The incident leading up to this arrest happened in the Cosmo City Centre and involves the centre's security not USave.
— Shoprite SA (@Shoprite_SA) October 7, 2017
Captain Bulan Muthan of Honeydew Police Station said investigations are underway for the two security guards in question.
“They have been charged with assault and could also be charged with assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm,” said Muthan.
Operations manager of Vigilant CQ Security, Qhubani Ngcongolo – the security company in question – said they took heed of the advice given to them by MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane when she requested that the guards be handed over to the police.
The two security guards have since been suspended and Vigilant CQ Security plans to meet with the victim along with the MEC after the media storm dies down in hopes of finding a way to assist the victim.
Ngcongolo added that the security guards would appear in the Randburg Magistrates’ Court today on 9 October.
ALSO READ: UPDATE: An investigation is underway following the hijacking of a vehicle at Bel Air Shopping Centre
