Most humiliating experience I've ever seen

I am writing to express my extreme disappointment with the service I received at Shoprite Protea Gardens Mall in Soweto on February 29, 2024. My experience was deeply humiliating and unacceptable. Yesterday, I visited your store with my two-year-old child on my back to purchase chicken portions. After buying them, I left the store. However, I realized I had forgotten to buy a few more items, so I returned to Shoprite. While queuing in the sweets aisle, my child grabbed a packet of marshmallows. I took them away from her, but she managed to grab them again without my knowledge because she is a child. I paid for my other items, and just as I was leaving the till, a lady approached me speaking in Tsonga, saying something about the sweets and insisting, "It's her child." I then realized she was addressing me. She kept saying, "You must pay for them; your child ate them." My child had not eaten the sweets, but she did manage to open the packet and drop the wrapper on the floor. Since my child was on my back, I wasn't aware of this. What upset me the most was being forced to pay for something I was unaware of, coupled with the rude and accusatory approach from the security staff. My child, who did not understand what was happening, started to cry, making the situation even more embarrassing in front of other customers. I overheard them discussing checking the cameras, as if I were a *****. Out of frustration, I threw the remaining sweets from the packet onto the floor in front of them and asked how much they cost so I could pay and end the humiliation. I did end up paying for them, but the way I was treated was unacceptable. I am disappointed that such a reputable company did not have a manager or supervisor intervene to resolve the situation. Instead, they stood by while the *********** security staff spoke to me as if I were a ********. I was already upset and hungry, and this experience only made things worse. I am not happy with the service I received or the inadequate security system in place. My daughter is only two years old, and this is precisely why I ensure she is not running around in stores—because she is a child and easily fascinated. If this is how you treat women with children, I worry about how many others are similarly humiliated, especially on days when SASSA grants are issued. Your staff's behavior was unprofessional and your security's conduct even worse. I hope that you will one day learn to treat women and children with the respect they deserve. Not everyone who has a child on their back is a *****. I hope you take this matter seriously and make the necessary changes to improve your service and customer experience