Johannesburg – A Gauteng mother is demanding accountability from one of South Africa’s largest clothing retailers, Mr Price Group Limited, after her teenage son was allegedly assaulted and detained for 12 hours by staff members at a Power Fashion store in Daveyton Mall, Ekurhuleni. The incident, which occurred in November 2022, has left the family reeling and has sparked a legal battle that could have far-reaching implications for the retail giant.
Mosima Mphela, the mother of the 15-year-old boy, is seeking R1 million in damages from Mr Price, alleging that her son was falsely accused of shoplifting, beaten, and locked in a storeroom for an entire day.
"These people violated my child's rights," Mphela stated with a voice laced with anger and despair. "If a person is accused of something, the matter should be reported to the police. Instead, they assaulted him and locked him up. He told me he was also forced to clean the entire shop."
Mphela recounted the harrowing ordeal, describing how she returned home from work to find her son missing. A neighbour informed her that he had been apprehended at the mall. Upon arriving at the police station, she discovered her son was not there.
"Around 8pm, I went to the mall and found that the gates were already locked," she said, her voice trembling. "He was released around 9pm with serious injuries all over his body."
Her son recounted a chilling tale of being accused of theft alongside his friends, who fled the scene. He alleged that he was then subjected to a brutal assault by security guards and staff members.
"He said he was locked up in the storeroom from 9am until 9pm," Mphela said, her eyes welling up with tears. "He was left alone, terrified and in pain."
Mphela's efforts to seek answers from the store management proved futile. When she confronted the assistant manager, demanding the names of those responsible for the assault, she was met with a wall of silence.
"They refused to give me the information," Mphela said, her voice filled with frustration. "It felt like they were trying to cover up what happened."
A legal letter of demand, sent to Mr Price’s management, outlines the severity of the alleged assault and its impact on the young boy.
"The child suffered emotional shock, trauma and impaired mental health, for which he required medical treatment," the letter reads. "His right to human dignity in terms of section 10 of the constitution was violated."
The letter demands a formal apology, compensation for the boy’s injuries and trauma, and the identification and disciplinary action against the staff members involved.
Mr Price Group Limited, in a statement released to celebgossip.co.za, acknowledged receiving the letter of demand and confirmed that they had engaged with the family prior to its receipt.
"The group has engaged with the family prior to the receipt of a letter of demand and is following the due legal process," said Matthew Warriner, director of investor relations and stakeholder engagement. "We take these matters extremely seriously, which is why a full investigation was conducted at the time of the incident."
Warriner declined to comment on the findings of the investigation, citing legal proceedings.
The incident has sparked a wave of public outrage and concern about the treatment of minors in retail environments.
"This is a serious case of alleged assault and kidnapping," said human rights lawyer, Advocate Nthabiseng Modise. "It highlights the need for greater scrutiny of security practices in retail stores and the importance of protecting the rights of children."
Modise added that the incident raises questions about the training and accountability of security personnel in retail establishments.
"It is crucial that security personnel are properly trained in de-escalation techniques and conflict resolution," she said. "They must also be held accountable for their actions, especially when dealing with minors."
