By Mkhuseli Sizani

Residents of ward 29 in Port Elizabeth have accused Police Minister Bheki Cele of reneging on a promise they say he made in 2018 to send in the army to reduce escalating crime in the area. They also demanded a new police station be built in Booysens Park.

This follows an incident last Thursday when a group of about 200 people from Booysens Park and neighbouring Pollar Park petrol bombed and stoned four houses. Two of the homes were completely gutted while one was partially burnt and the other had its windows smashed in.

The chaos followed the shooting of a man from Pollar Park last Monday at Qunu taxi rank. A woman, who allegedly witnessed the shooting, was confronted by gang members to identify the shooter. When she was unable to do so, the group attacked her home.

The woman’s 50-year-old mother recalled returning home on Thursday to find her four-roomed house in flames. Both their names have been withheld because of safety concerns. “I was called at about 5:35pm by my neighbours. My neighbour said it was an armed mob from Pollar Park. She asked me to ask the Gelvandale Police Station police to escort me with fire fighters because the two fire engines and two police vans from Bethelsdorp were chased away by the gang,” she said.

The woman said everything inside her house was set alight. “According to my neighbours the gang also fired several shots at my son as he got off his work transport,” she said. The woman said she was escorted to her house by police and emergency services.

The mother, who worked as a domestic worker, said the gang had traumatised her family and destroyed their entire life’s savings and a R23,000 stokvel collection. “I am as good as dead. My daughter has a drug problem and this gang wanted her to tell them who shot their member at the taxi rank. She told them that she does not know the suspects but the gangs chose to destroy my house. I am left with the only clothes that I am wearing. All my important documents including my ID, were burnt in the fire,” she said.

“I blame Bheki Cele. In 2018 at Booysens Park Community Hall, we told him that Bethelsdorp Police are useless and corrupt. We were being charged a protection fee for having beautiful houses.

“Cele promised to build us a police station which is currently under construction. He also promised to deploy soldiers. But that never happened and we are still living in fear,” she said.

After destroying the Booysens Park home, the gang went to Marikana, apparently in search of a man named Menalik “Mena” Malieba.

Resident Shandre Oliphant said she saw three groups coming into the community carrying firearms and petrol bombs. They torched the first house and then shot at the electricity transformer, leaving the street in darkness.

“For seven years we have been living here and crime was too much because those gangs terrorise us and the police are scared of them. They were robbing immigrant spaza shop owners and our homes but ever since Mena and his group started to fight against these gangs, crime dropped drastically,” she said.

Malieba told DK News that since the age of 15 he had witnessed his community falling prey to gangs. “I called a meeting on Friday with the residents and asked for a way forward because we cannot continue living like this. The police do nothing about these gangs. Immigrant spaza shop owners, loan sharks and residents with beautiful houses are asked protection fees by these gangs. We are not gangsters but we are fighting against the gangs,” Mena said.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu urged residents to stop making allegations against the Bethelsdorp Police. Naidu said that only one case of arson had been opened last week and denied that police did not intervene against gangs.

“Police are urging residents to report the culprits so that arrests can be made. In many instances, the residents do not open cases.” He said criminals were living in the community and should be reported by community members. “The community police forum and the police are working closely with community leaders in that area,” she said.

In response to Cele’s promise to build a police station, his spokesperson Lirandzu Themba said: “This project is still going through normal and due processes. There have been several multi-disciplinary stabilization interventions in the affected northern areas. The deployment of the army is not up to the Minister, he cannot make that call on his own as it is the prerogative of the President.”

By Phumlani Saul

Port Elizabeth police have commended the heroic actions of a six-year-old girl who stood up to a house robber and refused to let him steal a TV.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the little girl, the daughter of a domestic worker who works for the homeowner, was watching TV at a house in Greame Road, Greenbushes at about 1:25pm on Friday when the incident occurred.

It is alleged the girl’s mother had gone to her quarters to have lunch and while eating an unknown man armed with a panga entered her room.

The 27-year-old man then allegedly threatened her and took her cellphone and R1,000 before taking the woman to the main house and demanded to be shown the safe.

When they entered the living room, he threatened the child and instructed her mother to unplug the TV set.

“The child unperturbed by the suspect’s threats refused to let the TV set go and stood guard in front of it,” Naidu said.

According to Naidu the girl responded saying she was going to call the “ouma” who was asleep in another room.

The child then ran from the living room towards the bedroom to alert the 75-year-old woman homeowner, Naidu said.

The woman on hearing the commotion went to the living room, where the suspect, upon seeing the woman, ran away through the back door and took a laptop.

The panic alarm was immediately activated

Naidu said a description of the suspect was given and investigations were conducted in the immediate vicinity by the owner’s family and the Detective Trio Task Team members.

“At about 5pm while the investigating officer was patrolling the nearby squatter camp with the complainant, the suspect, was spotted standing on the side of the road,” Naidu said.

He was positively identified and the laptop and cellphone were recovered along with a further two laptops.

He was arrested and detained on charges of house robbery and possession of suspected stolen property and is expected to appear in the Port Elizabeth magistrate’s court on Monday.

Nelson Mandela Bay District Commissioner, Major General Thembisile Patekile commended the little girl for her brave stance against the suspect.

“This little girl was not aware of the danger she was in and all she was concerned was that no-one was going to take away her TV set.

“We are glad that no harm was done to her and the other occupants in the house. We urge the residents to ensure that they take proactive safety steps when at home.

“Never leave doors opened irrespective whether you are inside or outside the house. Always make sure that the security gate is locked at all times. Never assume that you are in a safe area. Opportunistic criminals are always on the lurk,” Patekile said.

By Zamandulo Malonde

A bizarre accident in which a man and his ex-wife — travelling in separate cars — crashed into each other before careening through the walls of two neighbouring houses left the homeowners stunned.

While the man crashed through a wall and into a swimming pool, the woman’s car levelled the neighbour’s boundary wall in Van der Stel Avenue, Kabega Park.

Luzuko Sloti said he had been at work when his mother called on Monday morning to tell him about the accident.

A white Polo had crashed into their boundary wall, knocking it down and skidding into the garden while, at the same time, a black Geely had crashed through Sloti’s neighbour’s wall, landing nose-first in the swimming pool.

Both cars were branded, with one belonging to Oceans Chemicals and the other to  Pillay’s Indian Cuisine.

The Polo had allegedly rammed into the back of the black car, causing it to crash into the wall, witnesses said.My mother was shocked by [the sound of] a crash into the boundary wall and went outside,” Sloti said.

The car crashed into the wall and into some bricks that we had packed inside the yard.”

According to Sloti, the man told him that the driver in the Polo was his ex-wife.

He said the woman’s colleagues had arrived at the scene after pictures and the video were widely circulated on social media.

“They said she had left work in a rush, saying that she needed to attend to something at home, but when they recognised the car she was driving in the pictures circulating on Facebook, they were worried,” Sloti said.

The man’s car crashed into Luvuyo Mongo’s pool.

“I was inside the house when I heard bricks [from the boundary wall] hit the [house] and I rushed out to find a car crashing into my pool with a man inside it,” Mongo said.

“The man managed to get out of the car, but we could tell he was still in shock.

“He didn’t say much except to confirm that his wife had hit his car from behind and he had lost control and crashed into my yard while she crashed into my neighbour’s yard,” Mongo said.

Jodash Pillay, who owns the Geely, said a relative had been driving it at the time of the accident.

He did not want to give the couple’s names.

He said the woman had been taken to Mercantile Hospital, while the man was a bit sore.

Police spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu said the man had reported the accident for insurance purposes.

By Vuyokazi Nkajeneni

In an attempt to boost their strike force ahead of the new Premiership season, Chippa United have singed Cameroonian international striker Eva Nga Bienvenu.

The Chilli Boys were the lowest scoring side last season having netted only 18 goals.

They will now pin their hopes on the 27-year-old former Bidvest Wits marksman to get the goal scoring tally ticking this coming season.

The Port Elizabeth side confirmed the Cameroonian signing in a Facebook statement on Tuesday.

Eva Nga played for Costa De Sol who won the 2018/2019 Mocambola in Mozambique,” the statement read.

“He was the top goal scorer with 25 goals and player of the season, before moving to the now defunct Bidvest Wits in January 2020.

“Eva Nga Bienvenu has signed a two-year contract with a year extension option.”

Chippa also announced the arrival of defender Riaan Hanamub.

“Joining Eva as new recruits for the Chilli Boys is 25-year-old Namibian international left lack Riaan Hanamub.

“Riaan is an integral member of the Namibian national team having featured in the last edition of the African Nations Cup

Last season, he played for Glad Africa Championship side Jomo Cosmos.

“He has signed a three-year deal with a two-year extension option contract.”

This comes after the exodus of 15 players which was announced by the club on Monday.

The club terminated the contracts of Zimbabwean twins Kevin and Elivs Moyo, Lehlohonolo Masalesa, Phetso Maphanga, Ryan Baartman and William Twala

.

Chippa also opted not to renew the contracts of Thabo Rakhale, Boikanyo Komane and Gerald Modisane which have lapsed.

The club further announced that on-loan Orlando Pirates trio of Diamond Thopola, Tercious Malepe and Meshack  Maphangule would not be returning to Chippa as their deals had lapsed.

Athini Jodwana and Ronaldo Maarman  will be loaned out for the 2020/2021 season while Ruzaigh Gamildien signed with Swallows.

Last week the Chilli Boys also announced the return of midfield Sizwe Mdlinzo on a 34-month contract.

By Nomathamsaqa Kula

Police in Port Elizabeth arrested a 28-year-old suspect who allegedly hijacked a beer truck just before 5 am on Friday.

Spokesperson Colonel Priscilla Naidu says the driver of the beer truck was on his way to Lady Frere when he was allegedly hijacked on the N2 near Blue Water Bay.
She says two armed men in a white Polo held the driver at gunpoint, before hijacking the truck and dropping the driver off in Missionvale.

Colonel Naidu says police received information about a group of men offloading a truck at an unused building in Xhama street in Motherwell and immediately responded to the scene.

She says when police arrived on the scene a group of about 25 men scattered in different directions.

Police managed to arrest one of the men and recovered beer worth over R500 000.

Colonel Naidu says they also recovered the truck which still had a jamming device connected to the battery inside the vehicle.

Police will continue their search for the other suspects.

The 28-year-old will appear in court on Monday where he will face a charge of hijacking.

By Nomathamsaqa Kula

Stanford Road was lit up in the red, yellow and green colours of the Rastafarian community, who marched through the streets of the northern areas to demand they are not passed by in the harvesting of dagga.  

Khoisan chiefs and Rastafarian leaders led a group at least 50 people to the magistrate’s court and the Gelvandale Stadium to meet a representative of the department of rural development and agrarian reform to hand over two memorandums.

Khoisan Chief Gaokxaob Kai Anib said years ago dagga was used by indigenous people to relax around a fire and to heal people. 

He said now that the plant had been decriminalised, indigenous people needed to educate themselves on how to generate an income from it and be given land to do so.

The farmers already have the power, the infrastructure to start planting dagga as a crop is there, we as a people who suffered the most for the legislation of the plant and arrested, won’t benefit.

“We don’t have land nor resources, we’ve been planting the plant in our backyards, the people with thousands of hectors will benefit, those are white farmers, we want land to cultivate the plant,” he said.

He said cannabidiol (CBD) in the plant had proven healing properties, which the Rastafarian community had embraced long before it was decriminalised.  

During winter there are fruits like oranges that nature provides for us the vitamin C that our body needs.

“To the department of justice we want [those that were arrested to have] their criminal records to be cleared so they can apply for jobs.

By Lolwethu Leeu

An eight-year-old boy who was in grade 3 in Momathamsanqa Primary School died on Saturday after being electrocuted by an exposed electrical wire in the bushes in Kingstown, Despatch near Uitenhage.

Ntombizanele Mdayi 37 mother of a boy Told Daily kasi news: ” I was at home when his friend came running to tell me that Chuma was shaking non stop at the field. They were playing at, this was every mothers worst nightmare coming true,she said.

” Chuma was supposed to be at a neighbors kids party unaware that they’ve wondered off. I wasn’t expecting such news as I knew where child was but waiting for my baby boy to come back home.”

The heartbroken mother of 4 says, Added ” upon arriving to where the kids were some residents screamed because it seemed he wasn’t breathing they took him to the nearest hospital that is where he was declared dead, this has shattered me because this is the last thing I expected to hear about my bubbly boy.”

Sonia Leeuw 45 a resident says “They have been asking the government to give them proper electricity lines now people have taken matters into their own hands by doing illegal power lines.”

Residents of Kingston in Despatch are furious and shattered that this issue has to get to a point a young boy dies,they say they’ve been asking for assistance but being ignored by the Municipality. 

Nelson Mandela Spokesperson Mthubanzi Mniki told Daily Kasi News: ” I’m not aware about the this incident. I will take the details and take it to the Electricity team and do the follow up.

Police spokesperson Captain Gerda Swart said an inquest had been opened following the child’s death.

She said the child then told the residents about the boy being electrocuted.

“The child was rushed to hospital but was declared dead.”

She said the name of the child would be released once a formal identification was completed.

By Phumlani Saul

Capitec customers who transacted on some card machines woke on Friday to unexpected deductions from their bank accounts.

Some of the bank’s account holders complained that their cards appeared to have been used at retail stores in the early hours of the morning, and others said cash back purchases were made. 

Capitec said in a morning tweet that the deductions were caused by a technical glitch

We are aware of a technical issue between us and another bank that has caused Capitec clients who transacted on this bank’s card machines to be double deducted,” Capitec said.

Our IT team is working to rectify the issue. The transactions will be reversed within the next 24 hours.”

Capitec said it would contact affected clients directly.

Daily kasi News has reached out to Capitec for more information about what went wrong. This is a developing story.

By Olwethu Nanto

Desperate to receive medical care, Malabar residents took to the streets to vent their frustration with the closure of their local clinic.

Last week, the Helenvale clinic reopened after being closed for two years due to gang-related incidents. The move saw the Malabar clinic subsequently reverting to the way it was run before — opening only on Fridays.

Thursday’s protest saw a mixture of the elderly, young people and women with infants gathering outside the Malabar community centre, holding placards and demanding the district health department reopen the clinic.

One of the organisers, Rozanne Moodaley, said their biggest concern was the safety of patients both at the Helenvale clinic and while travelling there, saying that while Helenvale residents had previously complained of crime while en route to the Malabar clinic, now the reverse would occur.

Our biggest concern is the gangsterism that led to the clinic in Helenvale to close. The gangsterism hasn’t ended in that area

We understand them [Helenvale residents] wanting the clinic to be reopened but they were robbed by people from their area while walking to the Malabar clinic.

“The people here won’t be able to walk to the Helenvale clinic, it is mostly the frail and old who would need to walk to the clinic, while other people would need to take a taxi to Schauderville, which costs R40 in total.”

Among the other reasons the Malabar community members wanted the Malabar clinic to be reopened was the growth of their community, which Moodaley noted had seven extensions.

By Nomathamsaqa Kula

52 years old Diane Attwell, the Port Elizabeth woman accused of pointing a firearm at protesters outside a Clicks store earlier this week, made a brief court appearance on Thursday morning.

The case was postponed to November 6 for further investigation.

She faces a charge of pointing a firearm.The prosecution said a witness statement and video footage from the Walmer Park shopping centre, where Attwell clashed with protesters on Tuesday morning, were still outstanding.

Later, she was led out the back of the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court building.

Despite some police presence, there were no protesters outside the court.