Mandisi Tshingana has raised R15,000 in just two hours for an elderly woman who was filmed after allegedly being caught shoplifting at Shoprite, with the incident prompting an outpouring of sympathy from South Africans on social media.
The video shows a security guard removing items from the woman’s clothing. Viewers were particularly moved by the groceries she allegedly attempted to take, which reportedly included chicken pieces, beef stew, body lotion, green pepper and a small bag of rice.
The items prompted questions and concern among social media users, with some suggesting that the incident could point to financial hardship and a struggle to afford basic necessities. However, the woman’s personal circumstances have not been independently confirmed.
In response to the public reaction, Tshingana rallied people to contribute money to help the woman buy groceries.
The fundraising effort reportedly reached R15,000 within two hours, turning an incident that had left the woman exposed to public scrutiny into an opportunity for people to offer practical assistance.
Tshingana has also suggested expanding the initiative beyond immediate grocery assistance.
In a social media post, he said the woman’s home had allegedly been broken into and that thieves had taken her belongings, including the electricity box.
“Bafazi apparently umakhulu ungenelwe endlini kwabiwa yonke into ngamaphara akhupha nebhokisi yombane. Can we set a target for her Christmas food voucher and a target to help her with plumbing and electrical work?”
His proposal is to establish fundraising targets for a Christmas food voucher and repairs to the woman’s plumbing and electrical installations.
The initiative could therefore extend beyond groceries to address some of the other difficulties Tshingana says the woman is facing.
While the circumstances surrounding the shoplifting incident have attracted attention, the fundraising response has shifted part of the public conversation towards helping the elderly woman access food and improve her living conditions.
Further details about the fundraising targets and the planned assistance had not been provided in the information available for this report.
