WATCH: Woolworths, a new shopping bag initiative, and reactions to Matlala, Cele money exchanges

By Marcus Moloko

Woolworths has rolled out an alternative to its iconic reusable shopping bags, shifting from the black design to a new translucent grey version, among other available bag options.

On the surface, it looks like a minor tweak in retail packaging, but in the age of viral videos and political scandals, even a shopping bag can become a loaded symbol.

The black Woolworths bag has, unfortunately, found itself caught in the crossfire of South Africa’s political affairs.

Social media users began dubbing it the “money bag,” posting tongue-in-cheek videos of themselves stuffing cash inside, all inspired by allegations of shady money exchanges involving tenderpreneur Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala and former police Police Minister Bheki Cele.

Matlala, during his testimony at Parliament’s ad hoc committee, mentioned how he made two payments to the value of