"Strangers Choosing to Care”: Mzansi Raises Funds for Elderly Woman After Shoplifting Humiliation

• The Mandisi Tshingana Foundation raised R40,000 for an elderly woman filmed being searched after a Shoprite shoplifting incident
• The gogo allegedly attempted to take basic groceries including chicken, rice and green pepper, sparking widespread sympathy across South Africa
• South Africans debated whether the fundraiser was sending the wrong message about shoplifting

An elderly woman's humiliating moment inside a Shoprite store became the starting point for one of Mzansi's most emotional fundraising stories in recent memory. The Mandisi Tshingana Foundation announced on 8 October 2026 that it had collectively raised over R40,000 (as of time of publication) for the woman, known affectionately as uGogo, after a video of her being searched by a security guard went viral.

The footage showed a guard removing items from the woman's clothing in what appeared to be a public search. The items she allegedly attempted to take struck a nerve with viewers: chicken pieces, beef stew, a small bag of rice, green pepper and body lotion. Basic necessities. The kind of groceries many South Africans buy without a second thought.

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Activist Mandisi Tshingana was among those moved to act. He launched a fundraising drive that reportedly reached R15,000 within just two hours. Beyond groceries, Tshingana also flagged that uGogo's home had allegedly been broken into, with thieves taking her belongings, including her electricity box. He proposed extending the campaign to cover a Christmas food voucher and repairs to her plumbing and electrical installations.

Ubuntu steps in

The foundation's announcement confirmed the total had since grown to R40,000. In their post, they described the money as representing far more than a figure:

"It represents food on the table. It represents dignity restored. It represents strangers choosing to care."

They credited ordinary South Africans, saying the response was proof that ubuntu is still alive.

View the full story here.

Mzansi divided over the response

Not everyone welcomed the fundraiser with open arms. The story sparked a sharp debate online, with some questioning whether donating money was the right approach and others raising concerns about the message it sent. This is what Mzansi said on the page.

Biggie Chitoro warned:

"Don't give her the money. Buy her the groceries. Abazukulu will trick her out of that money."

Esther Naidoo commented:

"This is encouraging shop lifting."

CB Mxhotyelwa offered a different view:

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"Women can do whatever it takes to get food for their kids. They rather die than watch their kids die of hunger."

For the foundation, the debate matters less than the outcome. What began as a moment of public shame for one elderly woman has, through the generosity of strangers, turned into something far more dignified.

More Briefly News stories on elderly

• An elderly woman was caught quietly buying meals for two EPWP street cleaners, and the heartwarming TikTok clip has moved thousands of South Africans.
• SASSA data shows pensioners accounted for most completed grant reviews and suspensions, while rising property values and living costs add pressure on them.
• Hanover Park resident Moegamat travels by wheelchair to help vulnerable neighbours access pet care, prompting an appeal for a more suitable wheelchair for him.

Source: Briefly News