SA Feels Sorry for Lebowakgomo Shoplifter Caught Red-Handed: "It's Hard Being a Single Mom"

• A viral TikTok video from a Pep store showed a woman caught shoplifting children's clothing, including school uniforms
• Viewers expressed widespread sympathy, interpreting her actions as desperation driven by poverty and unemployment
• The incident sparked discussions about social support, basic needs, and community aid for vulnerable parents

South Africans responded with widespread sympathy to a viral TikTok video depicting a woman shoplifting children's clothing from a Pep store, sparking vital conversations about poverty, unemployment, and the pressures faced by struggling parents.

A TikTok video showing a woman being caught shoplifting at a Pep store in Lebowakgomo has sparked a nationwide conversation on poverty, unemployment, and parenting under pressure. Posted by user @shadyfragrance, the video shows the woman being searched by security staff inside the store. What shocked and softened viewers wasn’t just that she had stolen, but what she had tried to take.

The woman was found with several items of children’s clothing, including school uniforms, hidden in her bra and beneath her clothing. As the items were pulled out one by one, the crowd surrounding her started taking out their cameras to take videos.

Read also

"Good, you let her go": Domestic worker endangers boss's kids and damages property, SA astonished

The video quickly went viral, drawing in thousands of comments. Many South Africans expressed sympathy for the woman, saying that the situation reflects the country’s harsh economic realities. Some users noted that many mothers go through silent struggles while trying to provide for their children without support. Others pointed out how theft for survival is not uncommon in the current climate.

Shoplifter sparks sympathy amid rising unemployment

South Africa’s unemployment rate remains one of the highest in the world, with millions of people struggling to make ends meet. Single mothers, in particular, often bear the brunt of this crisis. The soaring cost of living, combined with the pressure of raising school-going children, has led some to desperate measures, including theft.

While shoplifting is a crime and retailers have every right to protect their goods, many people online are calling for a more compassionate understanding of why some individuals resort to it. Instead of condemning the woman, many have expressed a desire to help, with some even suggesting starting a donation drive for school uniforms and children's clothes.

Read also

A Heartwarming TikTok video showed mother lovingly packing food for daughter returning to res after break

The incident in Lebowakgomo has opened up important discussions about social support systems, access to basic needs, and how communities can rally to support vulnerable parents. Although her actions were illegal, for many, the woman’s story is not one of criminal intent but of survival.

Mzansi reacted to the video

User457509881652 said,

"Reka mosola, but go se bereke go bohloko. Wena wa video o setlela, one day you will understand why."

Moocky Shings04 commented:

"All of you justifying the lady’s actions, have you thought for a moment that she could be stealing uniforms to sell, not for her kids? Don’t get me wrong, but I’ve worked in retail, and believe me, people do this for business. Uniforms are in demand when schools open. Sometimes they come with a list of items because they have orders, especially during the festive season."

Ruth_Nene 97 said:

"The painful part is that she did it for her kids. God knows how much pain we go through with our kids while their fathers are busy living life. 😭😭"

Read also

South African TikTok creator went viral by transparently revealing her new home's R300k construction cost

Mamiki236 wrote:

"People find joy in humiliating others. 💔"

MamaTrios said:

"I wish I could pay for her. Obviously, she tried for her babies. Mara, basadi…"

Gloria79 commented:

"I have nothing, but can we donate for her kids’ uniforms? 😭"

Sindy Gunda Myekelwa said:

"Please stop judging her. It’s hard to be a parent. I don’t blame her. 😥"

Nom said:

"She didn’t do anything. What about those rich politicians stealing millions from us? 🤔"

Maphosh commented:

"It’s hard to be a single parent."

Petrick Nkuna said:

"Ke ngwanesho motho yoo. Batho hle, le mo dira eng? Hle mo leleng."

Patience wrote:

"Mara nna, ke kgahlwa ke gore o tsere school uniform… Lena le ditlaela."

Kenmaaks1 said:

"If a woman steals, she’s doing it for her kids. But when a man steals, he’s a criminal and no one wants to help him or donate."

Nnana Sentoedi wrote:

"Bathong, why didn’t they put her in a private room?"

Read also

"This is not life": Mzansi woman cries on camera about working in retail, SA feels her pain

Check out the TikTok video below:

3 Briefly News stories about shoplifting

• A Cape Town woman was sentenced to 15 years in prison for stealing from a Cotton On store in Pretoria.
• The Northern Cape police arrested a man and woman who shoplifted at a popular chain store, and the news went viral.
• British businesses sought government help as shops suffer an unprecedented number of thefts due to people struggling with the cost-of-living.

Source: Briefly News