"They Don't Care": East Rand Mall Shopper Refused Service Over Green ID Book, Video Goes Viral
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- Lethabo visited a mobile store at East Rand Mall for a simple procedure after losing her contract SIM
- A consultant rejected her South African green ID book and allegedly shouted at her, calling her a waste of time
- After the incident, the woman alleged that the consultant and manager followed her to the parking area
A Johannesburg woman's visit to a mobile store at East Rand Mall turned into a confrontation. The clash has left thousands of South Africans talking online.
Source: Twitter
Lethabo, posting on TikTok as @l3thabo01, shared her account of what happened on 4 October 2026 when she went to do a SIM swap after losing her contract SIM card. She presented her South African green ID book as identification, only to be told by a female consultant that it would not be accepted.
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What made the situation worse, Lethabo said, was the consultant's behaviour. She described the employee as shouting at her and telling her she was wasting her time. Feeling dismissed and disrespected, Lethabo left the store and contacted customer care directly. She was told the green ID book is a valid document.
Armed with that confirmation, Lethabo walked to another outlet within the same mall, situated opposite Ackermans, where she was helped without any difficulty and her SIM swap was completed.
The matter, however, did not end there. On her way out, while at the parking payment station near the original store, the same consultant and a manager followed her and the two sides exchanged words. The video Lethabo recorded captures that tense moment in what appears to be a dimly lit parking area. Watch the confrontation that sparked the debate below:
SA stunned by clash over ID
The clip drew more than 1,400 comments, with many viewers weighing in on both sides of the debate:
@Thulih22 wrote:
"Oh some employees are so unprofessional and they don't care at all."
@gods_favourite_0 shared:
"I went in and I asked to buy a phone cash. They didn't even ask me which phone. I was told to go to Pep Cell."
@MASON pointed out:
"Green book or smart card, the ID number is the same mos why."
@Pearlpelle commented:
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"FYI...The South African Green ID book is rejected by so many stores, don't make an issue out of nothing... just get a smart card ID...avoid these petty things."
@Asanda Sithole added:
"Green books no longer apply sis in most stores. That's why they are completely fading out next year, go do a smart card, from 2023 they've been telling you guys to do smart cards."
Other Briefly News stories about altercations
- The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health issued an immediate precautionary suspension for a nurse stationed at King Dinuzulu Hospital after footage surfaced showing her physically shoving and arguing with a bedridden patient.
- Footage of a motorist hurling insults at a security guard performing routine access duties at a Kempton Park BMW dealership triggered widespread public indignation.
- A heated altercation between a Nedbank employee and a client at a Mams Mall branch in Pretoria went viral after the client began recording the encounter on his mobile phone.
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Source: Briefly News
