She was caught on CCTV leaving cash depot with plastic bags full of money. The theft occurred 2yrs ago & Mlangeni went on the run.
For over two months the house in Zola 3, Soweto, was also the home of a young woman Vangile (82) regarded as one of her own grandkids. Like she would do with one of her own flesh and blood, she welcomed Bathobile Mlangeni in when she needed help and provided her with a roof over her head. Never in her wildest dreams did she foresee what would happen: that the police would arrive on her doorstep one day and tell her that her “granddaughter” was under arrest for one of the most brazen crimes in recent South African history.
In July 2019 a guard working for SBV, a security company that processes, moves and manages cash and high-value assets, was caught on camera calming leaving Midrand’s Mall of Africa allegedly with R4 million in cash. The alleged thief had cut open two bulk cash bags and transferred the money into plastic bags, then placed the bags in a supermarket trolley and pushed the trolley out of the shopping centre.
For over two-and-a-half years the culprit remained at large. But recently cops, acting on a tip-off from the community arrested, Bathobile (31) in Soweto and the young woman is now in custody pending her trial after abandoning her bail hearing. All Vangile can do now is pray and ask God to watch over Bathobile, she says.
Yet she, the rest of her family and the community are stunned: the young woman they know was unemployed and struggling, barely able to afford airtime or underwear.
“I had never heard about what she allegedly did. I did not know police were looking for her,” said Dlamini.
She was pleased to have Mlangeni move in with her as she lived alone.
“I was happy about that. I don’t live with anyone and it was a relief to have a child around the house who could help me by going to the store for me and help me with chores,” she said.
Dlamini told TimesLIVE she and Mlangeni’s late grandmother were friends and she had known her since she was a baby.
On a rainy afternoon on January 6, Dlamini said she was stirred from her rest when Mlangeni knocked on her door.
“Nathi had just walked out of the house when she returned a few moments later and knocked on the door. I opened and found Nathi surrounded by a lot of police officers. I was confused and asked them what they wanted. They ignored my question and asked me where Nathi kept the money,” said Dlamini.
She said police officers searched her house before they were satisfied the missing cash was not kept in her home.
“After they were done they asked Nathi if she had told me why she was being arrested. She sobbed and said no. I did not want to hear anything so I hugged her and they took her away. I asked her family what was happening but they did not want to give me answers.”
Asked about Mlangeni's demeanour during her stay with her, Dlamini responded: “She was a lovely child. She was always on my side and did everything I asked. We shared everything together while she was here.
“She did not live lavishly She barely had any clothes and she would ask me for R5 or R10 so she could buy airtime.”
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