Pick n pay discriminates and harass customers

My Friend and I went to Pick n pay Heritage square mall (Kathu)on the 30th June around 12:45 and all went well. The problem started when we went there for the second time to finish up our shopping around 16:00. We entered the store and went straight to the bakery and after that headed for the cosmetic aisle. As we entered cosmetic aisle this other lady (security lady, with no uniform on) jumped at us and demanded to search one of the overnight bag we were carrying. We immediately handed over our bag for search there and then. We asked her why she's searching us to which she answered that that the store was busy that day and the bag looks "big and full". She also asked what cosmetic products we had in the bags and we declared and we were told that we are still going to be searched on exit to which we showed no interest in complying with. To our surprise as we were continuing with the shopping, there were other customers that had similar sized or even bigger bags who shopped without being interrupted by security searches. As we were still talking about what happened, some of the staff overheard our conversation and were surprised that they never heard of anything like that occurring in that store.

We paid up for the items and headed for the door but two security ladies blocked our way and the other two security men lined up behind them and demanded to search our bags. We told them our bag has already been searched and asked why we are the only ones being searched in the whole shop, and no clear justification was given. As we denied to have our bags searched and exchanged words with the security staff, two of the management staff (Arno Germishuys and DJ Walters) came to the exit with an intention of calming the situation as were disturbing the customers as if we were not part of the customers. Support to have our bags searched was given to the security guards and attempt to take our bags by force was made. As we insisted on asking why is it that its only our bags searched whilst other customers passed without being searched, they illustrated to us that they search any customer they wish by targeting a group of black ladies whilst leaving people of other races to pass without being searched. This clearly indicated that there's a certain race that is capable of theft whereas the possibility isn't there with people of other races.

Police officers were called to the scene and about 5 turned up and we were taken to the office where we all explained our side of the story. One of the police officers asked the management staff to show us a cctv footage to indicate their root of suspicion of theft but they said it was going to take time. Despite the police officers said we should surrender our bags for search and we asked what would happen if their suspicions were wrong but were told the security guards would've executed their rights. We had our bags searched and nothing was found. Despite our proven innocence, We did not receive any apology but we were told that we are banned from the store and an attempt to take our pictures was made. Moreover, mockery was made our of that situation was made in full view of customers and staff members as we were leaving the store. We were told to do our shopping from the tuckshops.

Out of that experience we felt humiliated, discriminated and harassed by the store. Customers and staff members gathered around as we were treated as *********. We couldn't get taxis home after the time wasted in the store and our safety was compromised as we were forced to hitchhike in the dark hoping to get into any car that could take us home and this is high risk for ladies to take considering the human trafficking incidents occurring in the country. Our integrity was degraded because the whole scene happened in public view and people recognze us as those ladies who stole at Pick n pay as we walk around. We were specifically targeted at on ************** reasons based on personal perceptions as justification for the search was not clear and also considering the way we were approached at for the first search and the way habit of searching us that was adopted. We were punished for the incompetence of the security guards because if they had done their job they were gonna notice upon our entrance that the bag is too big to get into the store. The security measures are not consistent as we went to store earlier and we encountered no problem with the bag on question and those security measures are not app**** to every customer entering the store. We are not pleased with unfair treatment we received from Pick n pay.