BY AZOLA HLATHI

OVER the years, Soweto-on-Sea kasi in Kariega has turned into a den of criminals.

Commuters told Daily Kasi News taxis and buses were too scared to take them home because of the situation.

Sindiswa Jongman (34) told DK Team : “Bus and jikeleza drivers are scared of Bafana Street in the kasi. Drivers from Motherwell tell you they can’t take you.

“They drop us in Zwide, which is far from our houses. We then become easy targets for criminals.

Bus drivers are also afraid to come to Taxi Square because thugs get on the buses and rob people.” 

Jikeleza driver Sindile Katu (29) said: “Driving on Bafana Street after 6pm is risky. Armed thugs pretend to be passengers and rob us. Commuters fight with us when we refuse to drop them there.” 

Another driver said he was robbed by a fake passenger last month.

“He pointed a firearm at me and forced me to give him all the money I worked for,” he said

Councillor Zoliswa Dlula said: “Nurses at the clinic get intimidated by thugs with guns who demand they get served first. 

“When I escort municipal workers to fix drains, criminals insult me and call me rubbishkazi.”

Captain Andre Beetge said: “We attend to areas where crime regularly takes place. 

“We also work with CPFs.”

BY PHUMLANI SAUL

The All-White Heritage Day Picnic which was scheduled to take place on Sunday the 24th of September 2023 at Victoria Park will now take place on Saturday 21st of October at the same venue. 

The postponement was due to extreme weather predictions from SA Weather Services and recommendations from the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality’s Disaster Management office.

The South African Weather Services had issued two impact-based weather warnings Level 5 and later Level 6 for disruptive rain and damaging winds over the period 24-09-2023 to 25 – 09 -2023.

The predictions proved to be accurate, the venue on Heritage Day was completely covered in big paddles of water and was definitely never going to be conducive to patrons as well as the structures under those weather conditions. The patrons and ticket holders were positive and applauded the move in putting their safety first above everything else.

We have since communicated the postponement from the moment we took the decision to postpone the event and the good news is that all ticket holders will still use their tickets for the new event.

“All artists previously booked are available for the new date” said Siyavuya Marwanqa, Managing Director of Sandla Black who is one of the organizers of the All-White Heritage Day Picnic” It is now all-systems-go, he concluded.

All artists billed for this event are promising their fans a performance out of this world and memorable, they are,Bethusile Mcinga; Big Zulu; Lwah Ndlunkulu; MandisiDyantyis, the country’s multi-talented Diva – Thandiswa Mazwai; Gqeberha’s icons Zain-SA; Luckeez Mfowethu; DJ Mleister, DJ Mthiza the Versatile and Andy Ndlazilwana. Concluding the line-up is YanoPrince – Aymos Shili. Amaza Ntshanga, Lusanda Mbane, Makaziwe Tsako and Slujah will be Programme Directors of this very hot line up.

The 2nd annual “All White Heritage Day Picnic” is brought to you by Ebubeleni Festival and Sandla Black in collaboration with the Department of Sport, Arts & Culture, Mzansi Magic Music, Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency, Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality, Umhlobo Wenene FM, Tru FM and Nkqubela FM.

Tickets to the event are still available at Webtickets, Pick nPay and Boxer Stores nation-wide, tickets start from R355 for general, R1200 for VIP and cooler box admission ticket is R100. No tickets will be sold at the gate. Dress Code: All White with a touch of Heritage/Cultural ; Gates open at 09:00 ; Event starts at 11:00 and ends at 18:00 ; No under 18years of age will be allowed.

By PHUMLANI SAUL

ELIZABETH Dandara (28) normally sleeps until the sun is high, but yesterday morning she woke up very early. 

The woman from KwaNobuhle kasi, Kariega said she was up early to wash her family’s clothes.

She had barely left her bed when a speeding jikeleza taxi crashed through the bedroom wall!

Elizabeth believes that waking up early in the morning saved her life. Unfortunately, all her family’s food and furniture was damaged.

She said the taxi crashed into her house at about 5.45am, causing the wall to collapse on the spot where she had been sleeping. 

“I normally sleep late, but yesterday I was restless, so I got out of bed and started to do my washing,” she said. 

“About 15 minutes after I had left my house, I heard my neighbours screaming, some calling my name. 

“I was confused and didn’t know what was happening. I then heard a big crash as the wall fell and my house was covered in dust.

I saw an Opel Corsa at rest in my house.

“I immediately screamed for my two kids and my sister, but they were fortunately asleep in another room.

“The wall that separated my bedroom and the lounge had collapsed.”

She thanked God for saving her life. “If I hadn’t gone outside I would be dead now. I had saved R2 500 with my stokvel for Monthly food, but now it’s all gone down the drain.

“The driver promised to repair the damages. He claims his brakes failed.”

BY AZOLA JANUARY

A MAN is fighting for his life in hospital under police guard.   

This after he was electrocuted while trying to steal electrical cables in Holomisa, near Kariega yesterday.

Residents welcomed the man’s arrest after being flashed over and injured when he was trying to steal a cable during loadsheding.

Isaac Mangena, spokesman for KwaNolec, said their teams and contractors were busy on-site trenching to repair a cable fault in KwaNobuhle substation when, strangely a few meters away, the suspect tried to cut and steal copper cable.

Mangena said the suspect was not aware that some of the cables were live and supplied electricity to customers at the time of his actions.  

“The cable blew up and burnt the suspect on most of the upper body, including the face.  

“The police arrived on site and rescued the suspect just as the community was about to beat him up. This was after they accused him of adding to their problems of going days without power due to cable theft,” he said.

Mangena said the area in Gunguluza and the surrounding areas is one of the hotspots for cable theft and vandalism.

He said the unknown suspect will be charged with tampering with and attempted theft of essential infrastructure and other related crimes.  

Meanwhile, KwaNolec recorded 25 incidents of cable theft and vandalism this past weekend alone, with eight happening in the inner kariega.

By NOMALUNGELO BOOI

RESIDENTS of Kariega are up in arms about overflowing kak in their streets.

They claim to have had the problem since February. 

Daily Kasi published a story on 26 April headlined “Pool of Stink”, but the problem has not been resolved.

A drain at Ntakomlilo Street is overflowing and runs through RDP houses in Nkotyeni Street.

This leads to a stinking pool at Sangcaphe Street.

Community member Simphiwe Zondani (49) said they have lost count of how many times they have reported the matter to officials. 

“It is overflowing with kak and recently the municipal team arrived and looked at the sewage,” said Simphiwe.

“They said we will be back!

They seemed to stress more about the work they had to do. 

“The only solution is to fix it once and for all.”

A big send-off for initiates had to be cancelled because of the sewage.

Thembekile Tini (59) of Gunguluza said he had to call off his son’s initiation ceremony due to the inconvenience. 

“My son, who is 19 years of age, is stressed that he could not go to initiation school because of this,” said Thembekile.

Nelson Mandela Bay Municipal spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki said: “The relevant people from the municipality will be sent.

“We will make a follow-up on the matter in due course

BY PHUMLANI SAUL

MEN from all over Mzansi are queueing to see Pastor Mphiriseni Munyai. And they all want the same thing . . . BECAUSE PASTOR MUNYAI IS KNOWN FOR WAKING SLEEPY 4-5s!

The men were inspired by the story of Khazamula Nobela, whose 4-5 went to sleep whenever he took women to his bedroom.

But Pastor Munyai’s holy words ended Khazamula’s 33 years of humiliation!

The DKTeam saw hopeful men aged between 29 and 54 waiting on Thursday for help from Munyai (38), of Agape Fire Ministry at KwaNonqubela Village in Alexander, Eastern Cape.

They had read Daily Kasi’s amazing story last week about how the pastor’s prayer woke up Khazamula’s 4-5.

Men from around Mzansi called Daily Kasi News for the pastor’s number -and then rushed to Alexander .

Some of the men spoke to the DKTEAM, but were too shy to be identified.

A 36-year-old man from Gqeberha said: “I’ve tried in vain since 1999 to get help from doctors and traditional healers all over Mzansi.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read in Daily Kasi News last week how Khazamula’s erection problem was resolved after a pastor prayed for him.

“The pastor welcomed me with warm hands and prayed for me. After that powerful prayer, I was delivered from the evil spirit that caused my problem!”

Another man (29), from Peddie said: “I had injections for a strong erection, but they didn’t help.

“After the prayer, all the pains in my navel and penis were gone. I can’t wait to get home to put my 4-5 to the test.

“I’m happy today. And what’s so amazing about this pastor is he prayed for us for free!”

Pastor Munyai said many men had visited him since he helped Khazamula.

“They come from all over Mzansi – from Joburg, Gqeberha and neighbouring villages like Addo and King Williams Town.

“All who visited me for prayers received their miracle for their manhood to function well.

“God gave me the gift of healing for free – so I pray for all people free of charge!”

BY UNATHI ZUNGAYI

“Pastor Wilfred’s lost seven cars in 14 months!”,

WHEN more of his cars were wrecked, Pastor Wilfred knew the devil was back. On Friday he barely missed being killed when a wall crushed his Mazda 6 and Opel Corsa.

HE BELIEVES THE ONLY THING STANDING BETWEEN HIM AND SATAN IS THE POWER OF PRAYER!

“Seven of my cars have been damaged or stolen in just the last 14 months,” Pastor Wilfred Zilawo, from Enkanjeni in Jeffreys Bay, told Daily Kasi News.

In June last year, Pastor Wildfred’s Honda was stolen.

– The same month, someone drove into his new VW Polo while it was parked. In September his new Toyota 4×4 double-cab was stolen at the cop shop where Wilfred was identifying a church member who died when the church’s Toyota Quantum overturned.

– Late last year his Mazda 3 was destroyed in an accident.

– Last month thugs stole his Toyota Tazz.

– And then Wilfred’s Mazda 6 and Opel Corsa were crushed by a high wall at his house on Friday.

“The wall fell on my cars only a minute before I was supposed to drive my kids to school and my wife to work.

“I had just put my bags in the car and went back into the house to help my kids when I heard a loud bang that shook the house.

“When I went out I saw my cars buried under the rubble. “Obviously the devil wants to kill me and my family, but my prayers save us every time,” he said.

The United Pentecostal Church pastor quotes Bible verses whenever something bad happens.

He said Job 14:7 is relevant to his life. It reads: “At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail.”

Pastor Wilfred also quotes Isaiah 54:17, which says: “No weapon formed against you shall prosper.”

He told the DK Team that he will survive. “I know the devil will be defeated and I will keep on praying to God to give me strength,” Wilfred said.

BY ZOLA NXELE

Hip hop artist, MC and former TV presenter Mzayifani Mzondeleli Boltina, better known as iFani, got candid about his comeback to the music scene.

In a recent sitdown on The Venting podcast, the rapper reflected on how he spent nearly six years in the township, having squandered all his money.

“I’m not the only one. Sometimes when you go into a hole and find other people who are suffering the same way as you, you find a connection there. You meet these people and you have these conversations and you grow as a person,” he said.

Ifani went on to speak about what he learnt during his hiatus.

“It taught me a lot about patience. I wasn’t a patient guy. I wanted things to happen now, especially if I paid for it. I didn’t think I was going to go back to the township. I thought I was going to live comfortably.”

Ifani had a lot to learn while he was away. 

He is set to upload his music on all online stores after getting all his masters from Sony music.

He is now determined to rebuild his career “one brick at a time”.

On his Twitter (X) timeline, Ifani shared gems with upcoming artists about building relations in the music space. 

“To my fellow upcoming artists: independent artist doesn’t mean by yourself. It means without a major record label. Truth is you can’t win alone, by yourself. Even if you could, you still need a team to travel with and work with. You can’t do everything by yourself. So get a team,” he wrote.

BY SIMTHEMBILE MGIDI

Dedicated Bok fans in Zwide braved the inclement weather at the weekend to back their “boytjie” on the streets the Springbok captain once called home.

Spirits were high before the defending champions’ clash against the Irish on Saturday, with everyone from taxi drivers to children cheering and hoping to make it three from three at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

The #CadburyFanClub which was meant to be hosted at the Zwide Stadium had to be moved to the Njoli taxi rank in Zwide for safety reasons arising from the bad weather.

And while SA narrowly lost the nail-biting encounter 8-13, the Zwide fans remain steadfast in their support of the team and their aspirations to retain to the title.

Avid Springbok supporter Ntando Ndiki, 38, said despite the loss he believed the rain was a good omen for the Boks and their journey to the Webb Ellis Cup.

“We came to see Kolisi, he is from Zwide.

“Rain in the Xhosa culture is blessings. If you have a traditional ceremony and it rains, we believe you have got all your blessings.

“Now for it to rain in Siya’s hometown and he is the captain, it is clear that he is blessed.

“He must go, make history as the first black captain to defend their title as world champions and bring the cup back to Gqeberha,” Ndiki said. 

Andile Ximiya, 47, said while former president Nelson Mandela had died before seeing Kolisi’s rise, he believed “Madiba magic” was with the Bok captain.

“I am happy with our team. [Rassie] Erasmus was able to make the team represent all South Africans.

“You find even people who are not interested in rugby wanting to watch the game because they see their representation.

“Even if children do not have rugby boots, they see Siya and believe they can be a Springbok.

“This match does not decide who will win the final,” Ximiya said.

One of the event organisers and AMK junior account manager Noluthando Buthelezi, 32, said the #CadburyFanClub was a means of getting locals to rally behind the Boks during their world cup campaign.

She said she was humbled by the warm reception from Zwide residents at the weekend.

“We could have easily said it’s raining and the activation is off, but if we can give [the community] a chance to watch all their heroes then let’s do that.

“It is inspiring and emotional