Mall of Africa, the biggest shopping mall on the continent, has become a hot spot for petty criminals – mainly shoplifters.
The Times yesterday spoke to workers at several of the Midrand mall’s retail stores and found shoplifting was already a significant problem in the first week of business.
An employee at Ackermans, who did not want to be named, said one person almost got away with R6000 of clothing. “She had taken a lot of leather jackets and other items and hid them under her clothes in her armpits.”
Johann Fourie, general manager of the mall, confirmed there had been “a handful of incidents of theft”, mainly shoplifting and pickpocketing.
“Any mall, any restaurant anywhere, has this problem but everything is heightened at the Mall of Africa as a result of the buzz and publicity,” said the mall’s brand manager, Vanessa Fourie.
Yesterday, three people were wounded in a shooting outside the centre. Four suspects were arrested.
Gauteng police spokesman Captain Tsekiso Mofokeng said police were investigating but it was believed the shooting was taxi related.