THE week started badly for Khanya Hospice after a man entered their charity shop in Amanzimtoti on May 29 and stole cellphones in broad daylight.
The shop’s staff member, Ronel van Reenen, said that after opening up that Monday morning, she closed the door and placed her handbag behind the counter while attending to other things. While she was at the back of the store in another room, a man – as seen on the recording of the CCTV camera – opened the door and calmly walked in.
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“He looked around for a while, moving near the front counter and the door, checking if anyone was close by,” said Ronel.
The man can then be seen walking to where the handbag was, opening it, taking out two cellphones and putting them in his pocket before walking out. The incident happened before other staff arrived and left Ronel traumatised as the thief’s calmness indicated that he knows his way around the shop and has possibly been watching it for a while.
Khanya Hospice CEO Neil McDonald said that one of the cellphones that were taken was the only means for the community to get in touch with the shop as the Telkom lines no longer work.
“This is so disheartening that we are robbed by the very same people that we offer our free services to. The money that the shop makes pays for petrol used by our nurses to provide free palliative nursing care to people who request assistance and support for their families,” said McDonald.
A case of business robbery was opened with the Amanzimtoti police. McDonald says they cannot afford a new cellphone and asked if anyone could buy one for Khanya Hospice. In return, the donor will get a tax certificate.
McDonald of the charity shop can be contacted on 083 597 8985 or hospice@khanyahospice.co.za.
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