A former Shoprite employee, Dimakatso Tshipane, has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment for stealing R400,000 from her employer.
The Bloemfontein regional court sentenced Tshipane on Thursday after finding her guilty of theft.
Tshipane, who was employed in the cash office at a Shoprite store in Bloemfontein, committed the offence on February 10 2024 while on duty, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said in a statement on Friday.
“Evidence presented before court revealed that she took R400,000 during her shift and absconded before the end of the workday,” NPA spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said.
An internal audit conducted by Shoprite confirmed the financial loss, and despite efforts to recover the stolen funds, none were retrieved.
After several attempts to trace her whereabouts, Tshipane was arrested on March 13 2024.
Tshipane pleaded guilty on October 30 2025 and the case was postponed to allow the court to consider the care arrangements for her minor children.
In handing down the sentence, the court underscored the seriousness of trust-related crimes, noting that theft by employees not only caused significant financial prejudice to employers but also eroded trust within the workplace.
“This sentence sends a clear message that abuse of positions of trust will not be tolerated and will be met with appropriate consequences,” Senokoatsane said.
TimesLIVE
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