RC
Roland C

1 reviews | Active since Dec 2017

15 Feb 2019, 17:01

Perceived Racial Profiling at Dischem

I had the opportunity of visiting the East Rand store on Friday, 15th February 2019. As I entered the store a security official (female) who was seated on the left of the doorway summoned us to where she sat and spoke in a vernacular to us, I begged her pardon for an explanation in English. She wanted to know if the plastic bags we had in our possession were sealed, to which I rep**** that it is not items stocked by Dischem, because it was clothing. She then proceeded to tape the packet in the possession of my partner, who was black, just for perspective. She explained that it's not about what the store stocks, that they deal the bags. As we were leaving a white family came into the store and walked right through with the plastic bag in the hand, while inside I noticed that the black customers had their bags sealed but not the white customers. What puzzles is this, what criteria is being used to seal bags, is it based on racial profiling or another criteria. The guard was seated and customers have to go to her to have their bags sealed. In the absence of any other obvious explanation one would assume that the guard preffered to seal the bags of black patrons, while I have shopper often at clicks in the same mall, I have never been subjected to this. Is this her instructions from your store, her company or is she acting on her own accord, using her own intuition to determine whose bag she would deal. Please look into this conduct of your staff.

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