In a disturbing case that has shocked the Gugulethu community, a 52-year-old man named Sandile Khwintshi alleges that he was locked in a freezer for hours at Shoprite in Gugulethu Mall.
The incident occurred on a Sunday before 12 PM, when Khwintshi was caught with two small drills and accused of shoplifting.
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According to Khwintshi, he had been approached by a man he knew who asked him to hold the drills, which he assumed were purchased items. Upon leaving the store, security officers stopped him and accused him of theft.
Khwintshi maintains that he attempted to explain the situation but was not given the opportunity to do so. Instead, he was taken to the operational offices, assaulted by staff members, and subsequently locked in a cold storage room.
Khwintshi states that he was confined in the freezer from 12 PM until 7 PM, during which time no staff members checked on him. He recounts, “By the time they came to me, I was really cold, shivering, and in pain because of the beating. My thumb was swollen, and emotionally, I’m still not feeling good.” Khwintshi has expressed his intention to open a case against Shoprite.
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Linda Kabeni, a spokesperson for the Gugulethu Community Policing Forum, voiced deep dismay over the incident, highlighting the ongoing struggles and lack of respect for black individuals in supposedly democratic times. Kabeni emphasized the importance of law enforcement agencies being called in such cases rather than resorting to extreme measures like locking people in freezers.
While Shoprite denies that anyone was held in cold storage, they have stated that they will fully cooperate with the South African Police Service (SAPS) in their investigation. Police spokesperson Wesley Twigg confirmed that a case of kidnapping is being investigated and called for anyone with information to contact Crime Stop on 0860010111.
