Video of Robbery in Gqeberha Goes Viral, South Africans Horrified
- A robbery at a coffee shop in Gqeberha set off a heated conversation about the high levels of crime in South Africa
- A video of the incident went viral, and it shows how the suspects targeted valuables
- Discussions ranged from those believing that the robbery was a mask for a specific target to those calling for stricter legal consequences
With 10 years’ experience, Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, provided insights into the criminal justice system, crime statistics, commissions of inquiry, and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.
Source: Twitter
GQEBERHA, EASTERN CAPE— A robbery at a coffee shop in Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape has resulted in a contest of opinions on crime levels in the country.
Journalist Yusuf Abramjee posted a video of the incident on his @abramjee X account. The video’s time-stamp shows that the robbery took place in the morning of 9 April 2026. The video began with an ordinary coffee shop scene: customers used their laptops while enjoying the food the coffee shop offered. The peace of the morning was broken when a group of three men entered the establishment.
Gqeberha coffee shop robbery goes viral
The three men spread across the shop and immediately started taking the laptops. One of them took the laptops of the two women sitting nearest to the door. He then took the laptops of two customers who were facing the door. Another suspect took the laptop of a woman who sat furthest from the video frame. The suspects then left.
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What did the South African Police Service say?
In a statement, the South African Police Service (SAPS) sent to Briefly News, Eastern Cape SAPS spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said that one of the victims opened a case following the incident. Two MacBook laptops and other laptops were stolen. The suspects then fled the scene in a Hyundai i10, and nobody was injured during the incident.
Source: Twitter
South Africans discuss the robbery
A colourful variety of comments painted the comment section as South Africans shared their thoughts, questions, and concerns.
NaNgoma said:
“These are the socio-economic consequences of high unemployment, high electricity, and high fuel costs. Also, corruption steals opportunities that our people could have benefited from.”
Mursiwi Themba remarked:
“The crime in this country needs a different approach if we are to win this war. No more soft gloves in dealing with criminals.”
JN was fuming.
“The ANC’s ‘soft touch’ approach to crime has yielded good results for criminals. The ANC ensured that criminals enjoy life in South Africa, while victims suffer. We need a government that will be tough on criminals in South Africa.”
Bobatse said:
“They are probably after a specific laptop. They left way too many valuables to be random.”
Kgomotso #WarAgainstCrime said:
“I hope by now they are arrested. Criminals ride on the weak enforcement of law by our government and the tolerance it shows towards crime. Peace-loving people should never have to go through such in a well-functioning country.”
3 Briefly News articles about CCTV robberies
- The South African Police Service launched an investigation after an officer was caught on CCTV stealing money during a raid on 20 February 2026. The video, which went viral, shows how the officer took money from a bag filled with cash.
- A theft in Norwood, Johannesburg, was caught on CCTV footage on 11 March 2026. The suspect stole a point-of-sale machine at a garage after withdrawing a R10,000 voucher.
- A group of men who were filming content in Johannesburg were robbed of their cellphones. A video of the incident showed how the robbery unfolded.
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Source: Briefly News
