“Why Am I Crying?”: Mzansi React to Emotional Farewell for Shoprite Employees After 30 Years

• Shoprite staff gave an emotional farewell to employees after decades of service with heartfelt tributes in-store
• A TikTok video shows one of the employees removing her photo and leaning on a table, overwhelmed by emotion during the farewell ceremony
• Social media users praised the dedication and loyalty of long-serving Shoprite employees, sharing their own emotional workplace stories in response

Two Shoprite employees in Chatsworth, Durban, have left their mark on the supermarket after decades of service, and their farewell had colleagues reaching for tissues.

Front End Controller Deresa Taylor and long-serving cashier Dina Muller were celebrated after 30 and 25 years of dedication, respectively, in an emotional send-off that touched Mzansi and beyond.

Taylor and Muller, who spent most of their working lives behind the tills and managing front-end operations, were given gifts and warm tributes from the branch management team, marking the end of their long and loyal careers. Their commitment to the Chatsworth branch turned them into familiar faces for regular customers, and their departures left a palpable void.

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The heartfelt goodbye took place in the store last week, where colleagues gathered to honour the duo’s decades of service.

Farewell moments caught on camera

In a TikTok video posted by the branch manager, Andiswa Portia Ntame-Msimango under the handle, @sisPosh, on 1 February 2026, Taylor is seen removing her photo from the wall of the store. The clip shows her leaning on a table, visibly overwhelmed, before cutting to both women receiving their gifts.

Colleagues can be seen clapping and cheering as the pair are handed keepsakes to commemorate their years at Shoprite. The farewell brought together staff across all departments, highlighting the impact Taylor and Muller had on the store’s culture.

The TikTok video by @sisPosh has racked up over 30,000 likes and hundreds of comments, with commenters expressing admiration for the duo’s long service and noting how rare it is for employees to remain with one company for so many years.

Watch the TikTok video below:

Mzansi weighs in on the farewell

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TikTok users flooded the comments of the clip, with many sharing their own stories of workplace farewells and praising the dedication of the two women.

@Nolubee💕 commented:

“These gogos are the real Shoprite❤️. Once they leave, the quality of the food from their bakery changes.😤”

@tebza wrote:

“You guys deserve good things in life. You have been through a lot. Go and relax, and I hope God keeps you. I also hope you will enjoy your pension.🥰”

@Daisy Mooto said:

“Why am I crying?❤😥”

@Vitaly wrote:

“All the best, may this chapter that you are about to start be filled with meaning, joy and prosperity.❤”

@yoyo noted:

“Bittersweet moments.🥰”

@Unresolved thoughts🫂 commented:

“Bittersweet, but you can see that both of them are good people.”

More Shoprite articles on Briefly News

• Briefly News previously reported that a simple R5 breakfast option from Shoprite caught the attention of South Africans online.
• A Shoprite cashier shared her incredible journey of completing her Bachelor of Education degree through Unisa while working full-time.
• A man told people how they could become a retailer at South Africa's largest supermarket.

Source: Briefly News