Bandile Shabalala Dies After Allegedly Being Locked in Shoprite Cold Room for Stealing Chocolate
Bandile Shabalala, 33, died after a Shoprite manager allegedly locked him inside a cold storage room for stealing a chocolate bar.
Initially reported as a 13-year-old by the community, it has now been confirmed that Shabalala was 33 years old and unemployed.
Shabalala was reportedly locked inside the cold storage for around 11 hours on Sunday. His body was discovered outside an Avbob premises next to the Shoprite on Monday morning. He had been with two friends, who fled the scene when security officials apprehended him.
Angry community members threw stones at the Shoprite and damaged one of its doors on Monday morning.
Several locals told News24 that thieves are often locked inside the outlet’s cold storage as punishment, though they are typically released after about 30 minutes.
By late Monday morning, public order police were stationed outside the Shoprite in Ratanda, Heidelberg, maintaining peace while officers gathered evidence from the scene.
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