A South African shop owner near the Department of Home Affairs on Umgeni Road has addressed a viral social media incident where a group accused him of possessing eight identity documents.The confrontation occurred after a March and March official entered his photocopy shop, mistaking the documents for evidence of illegal activity.The shop owner, who has operated his business since 2021, explained that the IDs were left by customers who forgot to retrieve them.He emphasized that his shop does not verify the legality of individuals and that the documents were stored in a glass cabinet for easy access.The group, including a March and March representative, questioned him aggressively, but he clarified that the IDs were old and not fake.The incident escalated until police were called, after which the group issued a warning.The shop owner expressed concern over the public backlash and denied being a Pakistani national, stressing his South African citizenship.

The case highlights tensions between citizens and law enforcement, as well as the challenges of managing public spaces with sensitive items like ID documents.