Africa: The former president of Nelson Mandela’s grandson, ‘Andile Mandela, is facing charges of shoplifting after he was caught on camera stealing a packet/box of sweets from a grocery store in the Rosebank Mall in Johannesburg.
Police spokesperson of Gauteng, Colonel Noxolo Khweza, confirmed the news and stated that they are currently investigating the matter of shoplifting.
According to spokesperson Khweza, “I can confirm that he appeared in the Hillbrow Magistrates Court on August 5. I do not have the next dates.”
According to the shop security guard who witnessed the incident, Mandela came into the shop with a brown bag that contained a laptop.
Furthermore, the guard stated, “When I entered the shop, a camera operator came to me and instructed me to keep an eye on his movements because he looked doubtful, but I let him make his way to the corridor where chocolates and sweets are situated. The camera clearly depicts that he first unwraps the sweets and then puts that box inside his bag, then goes to the till and buys R5 MTN airtime.”
The alarm at the door beeped, and I asked him if there was something that he may forget to pay for. Then, he said no and gave me his bill of R5 MTN. I then asked him to search his bag and took him away from the eye of the other customers.
“Then I found that sweet chocolates box in his bag and asked him where he got them. He insisted that he bought this box, but when I gave him the threat of arrest, he agreed that he had taken the box from a shop because he was hungry.”
Then the guard told him that if he was that hungry, then he was supposed to take bread, not candy.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Phindi Mjonodwane said the case was not registered because of insufficient proof.
Andile is the youngest son of Nelson Mandela, Makgatho Mandela, who passed in 2005. Andile could not be reached for comment.
