'Woolies looter' Mbuso Moloi clashed with correctional services official, court hears

“Woolworths looter” Mbuso Moloi, who in March pleaded guilty to a charge of theft, had a “personality clash” with a correctional services official who was assessing whether he was a suitable candidate for correctional supervision.

While that report had been finalised, his advocate Willie Lombard told Durban regional court magistrate Melanie de Jager on Wednesday they wanted an “independent” official to compile a report.

The magistrate made the order, noting the views of the department were necessary should the court find a sentence of correctional supervision, which usually involves house arrest, was suitable in Moloi’s case.

Moloi admitted he stole goods from the Woolworths’ Davenport store during the July 2021 unrest.

His crime became public when he was videoed with the basket of groceries which he placed into the boot of his white Mercedes-Benz before driving away.

In his guilty plea, he said he had “acted on the spur of the moment” and “impulsively” when he took the basket of goods, including washing powder and juice, and left the store without paying.

Moloi also pleaded guilty to contravening road traffic regulations as the registration number on his car did not match the vehicle licence number. He said he had been given the plates by the dealership and knew he needed to replace them but failed to do so.

The vehicle, which was under finance, has subsequently been confiscated by the state as an “instrumentality of the offence”.

Sentencing proceedings were expected to be finalised on Wednesday, but Lombard said  he wanted a fresh correctional supervision report.

While a social worker's report, which will make recommendations on sentencing, had been completed, Lombard said it had to be signed off by a supervisor and he had not yet seen it. He assured the magistrate it would be e-mailed to him so he could prepare heads of argument when the matter was next in court.

The matter was adjourned until July 7. Moloi is on bail.

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