A woman named Tina Redman on Twitter recently shared a troubling shopping experience with her online following. She claimed that while visiting a South African pharmacy, she was racially profiled and accused of stealing a product.
“Just got racially profiled [at] Dis-Chem Neighbourhood Square,” Redman said of the Johannesburg business. After calling the brand out by name, the woman explained the situation. “Multiple people forcibly took me to the back, frisked me, despite refusing to search my white partner, falsely accused me of stealing fake eyelashes [and] then refused to show me the footage that apparently incriminated me,” she tweeted on Sunday (March 5).
Just got racially profiled @Dischem Neighbourhood Square-multiple people forcibly took me to the back, frisked me (despite refusing to search my white partner), falsely accused me of stealing fake eyelashes & then refused to show me the footage that apparently incriminated me 1/3 pic.twitter.com/gwjFo7EhcY
— Tina Redman (@TinaRedman1) March 5, 2023
In a thread, she continued, “Even after the search, the person who claimed to have seen me — in person [and] on the security camera — stealing the eyelashes and chucking the box down refused to [apologize] or acknowledge the mistake. No remorse or concern for the distress this caused me.” Redman added, “The manager, a white man, claimed it wasn’t a racial thing, but I was the only Black person in the store, and I didn’t even go into the cosmetics area!” Her post quickly gained steam on social media with many users condemning the brand. “Yoh, Dis-Chem employees are so racist! I have first-hand experience. So sorry this happened to you, babes,” one person replied to her original post, which has been retweeted over 2,000 times.
The company caught wind of the allegations and attempted to resolve the issue. “Hi, Tina, thank you for reaching out to us, and we are saddened to hear of your experience with our Neighbourhood branch. Kindly note that we do not discriminate by race, nor do we condone racism. We would like to look into this,” they wrote in regard to the alleged racial profiling later that day. Redman added that the “security… called to say they saw the CCTV footage, and they had made ‘a big mistake,’” before adding that she wanted “a written apology” because what happened “was violent and can’t be taken lightly.” Dis-Chem informed her “that the security in our stores is owned and operated by an independent company. The matter has been escalated to the senior management of this company for a thorough investigation.”
See the tweets below.
Hi Tina, thank you for reaching out to us and we are saddened to hear of your experience with our Neighbourhood branch. Kindly note that we do not discriminate by race nor do we condone racism. We would like to look into this.
— Dis-Chem (@Dischem) March 6, 2023
1/2 We trust that our Store Manager has been in contact with you. We wanted to advise that the Security in our stores is owned and operated by an independent company. The matter has been escalated to the Senior Management of this company for a thorough investigation.
— Dis-Chem (@Dischem) March 6, 2023
Yoh Dischem employees are so racist!! I have first hand experience. So sorry this happened to you babes 🤍
— Tshegofatso Phaloane (@Tshego_Phaloane) March 6, 2023