Durban - Pick n Pay has denied claims that two women were detained in a cold storage room at their Witbank store earlier this month.
According to reports, on September 1, the two women were accused of stealing cheese from the store. It is alleged that they were then placed in the store's cold room for nearly four hours and later taken to the police station, where their fingerprints were taken before being released. No case was opened.
One of the women has since passed away while another has been discharged from hospital
In an interview with eNCA, community leader Pascaline Nqobile Mazibuko said they are demanding that Pick n Pay take responsibility for what happened.
Mazibuko claimed that, according to the deceased's post-mortem report, she died of pneumonia. She said the woman did not have any re-existing illnesses.
She said the second woman is currently on medication and undergoing treatment for pneumonia.
"The deceased has left three children. We want Pick n Pay to account. Those families must be taken care of from now until the kids are grown, and their medical expenses," Mazibuko said.
Meanwhile, Pick n Pay has refuted the allegations.
The retailer said: "We'd like to address the false news circulating regarding detainment of two women at our Witbank store on 1 September. After being identified as shoplifters, they were taken to an office upstairs until the SAPS arrived, and both women left the store in police custody... that same evening.
We'd like to address the false news circulating regarding detainment of two women at our Witbank store on 1 September. After being identified as shoplifters, they were taken to an office upstairs until the SAPS arrived, and both women left the store in police custody ... [1/2]
— Pick n Pay (@PicknPay) September 16, 2020
"They were treated respectfully and at no point were they harmed or placed in or anywhere near cold storage, all of which video security footage has shown. The terrible accusations circulating are completely untrue.
... that same evening. They were treated respectfully and at no point were they harmed or placed in or anywhere near cold storage, all of which video security footage has shown. The terrible accusations circulating are completely untrue. [2/2]
— Pick n Pay (@PicknPay) September 16, 2020
IOL