'Shoprite must apologise' - Support as Shoprite eight appear in court for theft

Protesters gathered outside a Cape Town court on Friday to support eight women accused of stealing money from retail giant Shoprite.

“The girls are struggling to find employment now. Some of them are the sole providers of their families‚” said Eleanor Hoedemaker‚ from the New Horizons Community Issues Forum.

Hoedemaker was one of several supporters who picketed outside the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court to rally around the accused.

The women appeared calm and stood side by side in the dock. They have been accused of stealing money from the till but they said they had accepted tips from clients.

The prosecutor indicated that the state is awaiting video footage from the store‚ which allegedly caught the women in the act.

Arrest of cashiers follows an internal probe‚ says Shoprite 

After the court proceedings‚ Leonie Van Wyk‚ 27‚ one of the accused‚ said she wants the ordeal to an end so that she can go on with her life.

“This has been two months of torture for us but I am at ease because I have faith in our lawyer‚” Van Wyk said.

Another accused‚ Shameez Powell‚ 27‚ said they would love an apology from the retail giant.

 “I am a mother of three children and also the breadwinner in my family. I am grateful that my parents are able to help out where they can but it is hard to be unemployed when the basic necessities like nappies for my baby is expensive‚” Powell said.

The case was postponed to November 10.