IN PICS | Woman 'assaulted' at Sandton mall in fight over missing phone

A case of assault has been opened after a woman was beaten outside a Sandton eatery on Friday.

Candice Hlanze opened the case after she was assaulted by four women at 24 Central on Friday, after suspects allegedly attempted to claim her lost phone at Nola restaurant, where she was celebrating her birthday. 

Police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo confirmed a case was opened at Sandton police station and said no arrests have been made.

Hlanze said she went to the bathrooms in the centre as the eatery does not have restrooms.

Upon returning from the bathroom, Hlanze discovered her phone and money were missing in the restaurant. She requested to view the restaurant's CCTV footage but it was not provided to her.

“I left my bag on the table my friend and I had booked and when I returned from the bathroom I noticed my money and phone were missing. I asked for the CCTV footage but the waiters refused to give [it to] me,” said Hlanze.

Hlanze was led to a waiter from the opposite restaurant and she was able to identify her phone. The waiter told her a group of women had attempted to claim the phone. 

When she confronted them, the situation escalated, resulting in Hlanze being assaulted.

According to Hlanze's friend, who wanted to remain anonymous, staff at the restaurant failed to intervene when Hlanze was being attacked. Instead, waiters and security personnel stood by, taking videos and pictures of the altercation.

“We were told to pay the bill and leave the restaurant as the altercation did not occur inside the restaurant. Nobody helped us, we struggled to obtain the footage which they eventually provided, but only after making us watch from the beginning of the day, which was unnecessary because we didn't get to see a thing,” she said.

TimesLIVE has extended a right of reply to the 24 Central centre manager Michelle Sardinha, which had not been received by the time of publication.

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