By Phumlani Saul

The Ebubeleni Music Festival marked itself as Nelson Mandela Bay’s flagship event of the year as more than 35,000 festival-goers attended the main festival on Sunday.
The 7th annual music festival was held at the NMB Stadium over three days and included an Urban Festival of hip-hop versus gqom, a night of comedy at the Boardwalk ICC and the Main Festival, which saw tickets sold out.

The eighth edition of the increasingly popular lifestyle festival is set for 27th to 29th December in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape.

Ebubeleni Project Manager Marc Mahambehlala said: ” Tourist visitor numbers increase enormously in the Bay during the festive season especially around the festival dates,”

” Award-winning, top of the charts acts have been lined-up to ensure the sold-out sign remain hoisted high for Ebubeleni Festival.” He said.

Mahambehlala added : ” The Urban music leg of Ebubeleni will kick things off on December 27 with a trinity of hot music genres of Hip-Hop, Gqom and Amapiano. Even more blazing are artists on the line up including Cassper Nyovest, AKA, Kwesta, Sho Madjozi, Kabza De Small, DJ Maphorisa, De Mthunda & Njelic, DJ Sumbody, Moonchild Sanelly, Prince Kaybee and adding a taste of naughty but niceness will be Zodwa Wabantu.”

Laughter will add to the healing effect of the friendliness of Nelson Mandela Bay the moment Comedy Night springs to action at the Boardwalk ICC on December 28th. Billed to make sure all are in stitches are Ntosh Madlingozi, Siya Seya, Trevor Gumbi, Nkosinathi Maki and Skhumba Hlophe.

Enraptured and fired up performances are scheduled for presentation at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on the 29th at the Main Event. More than eager to serve music patrons on the day are Zonke, Vusi Nova, Ami Faku, Tsepo Tshola, DJ Tira, Simmy, Zer012 Finest, Anathi, Msaki, O47 and Jaziel Brothers. Socialite, radio and television personality Somizi Mhlongo is set to ensure servings are smooth and at the right time as MC Umhlobo Wenene’s popular presenter, Mafa Bavuma.

By Phumlani Saul

Two Port Elizabeth men have been jailed for an effective 25 years for the murder of two-year-old Hakeem Baartman, who died after being caught in the crossfire of a shooting in Helenvale in 2017.

Marshall Thomas and Maxwell Muller were sentenced in the High Court on Monday.

A 17-year-old youth, who was the target of the shooting, was wounded in the neck when police said Thomas approached him outside a house in Hartebees Street and started shooting.

The teenage victim ran into the street while Thomas continued firing and little Hakeem who was playing in the street was fatally wounded in the head by a stray bullet.

Thomas was arrested in May 2018, while Muller, who was later identified as an accomplice, was arrested on 4 February 2019 while in custody for another murder and attempted murder case.

Eastern Cape police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Liziwe Ntshinga, welcomed the sentencing.

She said it was the “first Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit gang conviction and sentence achieved in Nelson Mandela Bay Metro”.

By Phumlani Saul

Two men are expected to appear in the Graaff Reinet Magistrates Court on Monday for the possession of suspected stolen sheep.

Spokesperson Captain Khaya Tonjeni says the two men, aged 35 and 52, were arrested on the N9 near Aberdeen on Sunday.

He says police who were patrolling the route between Graaff Reinet and Aberdeen saw a vehicle parked on the side of the road and stopped to investigate.

The owner told police that he had run out of petrol, but members became suspicious when they heard kicking noises coming from the boot.

Tonjeni says upon further investigation four sheep were found in the boot of the car.

Police confiscated the vehicle and arrested both men.

Meanwhile, police in Mthatha recovered 20 sheep and 19 lambs which were hidden at the Ethwa Forrest.

Tonjeni says the sheep were identified and returned to the rightful owner.

No arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.

By Daily Kasi News Reporter

Port Elizabeth Police have confiscated approximately R2 million worth of liquor during an eleven-hour operation in various parts of Walmer.

The sting operation which kicked-off at 4 pm on Tuesday was conducted alongside The Liquor Control Board to ascertain the legitimacy of taverns in the area.

Police spokesperson, Colonel Priscilla Naidu says the police held the operation in the G-West area with special focus on clamping down on shebeens and illegal taverns.

She says one shebeen was closed during the operation and liquor amounting close to 2 million rands was seized.

Naidoo says a woman in her 40’s has been arrested and charged for dealing in liquor.

By Phumlani Saul

Ea

stern Cape police say that they cannot say with certainty that all the bombs have been cleared from the Strelitzia Dam at Uitenhage.

Provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Tembinkosi Kinana, was briefing the media at the dam on Tuesday morning after 19 live mortar bombs were found in the dam in recent days.

The first mortars were found by people fishing in the dam last week, prompting police to warn people to stay away from the area while they conducted their investigation.

“We can’t say with all certainty that we have cleared the place of all mortar bombs, all I can say is that the investigation continues”

Kinana says they will continue to visit the area to ensure that it is safe.

The origins of the mortar bombs is also still a mystery and will form part of the investigation.

Police did, however, confirm that the bombs were very old and not from South Africa.

The public is advised not to pick up any suspicious device but to contact police immediately.

By Daily Kasi News Reporter

The Hawks in the Eastern Cape are appealing to the public for help in tracing a suspect wanted for stealing more than a million rand from her East London employer.

Hawks spokesperson, Captain Anelisa Ngcakani, said their Serious Commercial Crime Investigative Unit is looking for 34-year-old Amanda Njamela, who worked as a conveyancing secretary at a law firm.

She says it’s alleged that Njamela had transferred a sum of R1.1m from the attorney’s trust fund to her own bank account between the 7th of May and the 20th of July, before disappearing.

Captain Ngcakani says Njamela is originally from Port Elizabeth and it is believed that she currently resides in that area.

“Any person with information which may lead to her arrest is urged to contact the Investigating Officer, Warrant Officer Fezekile Bushula, on 072 731 4117.”

(Pic: Supplied)

By Phumlani Saul

Port Elizabeth police are hunting for a suspect they believe was responsible for killing three women in the Motherwell area since February.

Police spokesperson, Colonel Priscilla Naidu, told Daily kasi news “The women may have also been raped.

She said the first case was reported in February when the semi-naked body of a 43-year-old woman was found in Unit 8, Motherwell. She had sustained several stab wounds to the neck.

The second case was recorded on 4 May when the body of a 21-year-old woman was found in bushes on Addo Raod in the Ramaphosa area of Motherwell.

The third victim was found more recently on 6 October when the partially decomposed body of a woman was also found in the Ramaphosa area and not far from where the second body was found in May.

Colonel Naidu said in all the cases it was suspected that the women might have been raped but she said police were still waiting for DNA results.

“Anyone who can assist with any information relating to the murders or a possible suspect is asked to contact D/Sgt Elton Tau at SAPS Ikamvelihle on 082 303 0432. All information is strictly confidential and callers have the right to remain anonymous.

By Phumlani Saul

The Hawks in Port Elizabeth arrested three people during raids on Tuesday morning on three houses in Zwide.

Police spokesperson, Colonel Priscilla Naidu,told Daily kasi news “

They also seized suspected stolen electronic equipment and jewellery valued at around R200 000.

“Among the items recovered are five TV’s, watches, jewellery boxes, cameras, two firearms with serial numbers filed off and an iPad.”

Naidu said that a rented car found abandoned in Walmer location last month was also “positively linked” to 14 cases of house-breaking committed between June 2018 and September 2019.

She said the suspects aged between 29 and 50 have been detained on charges of money laundering, possession of suspected stolen property and the illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

They are expected to appear in court soon.

Police are appealing to anyone who may have been victims of housebreakings or house robberies to contact D/W/O Shane Bosch on 079 508 9921.

Naidu said police were also urging the public to mark their property and keep the identification numbers in a safe place.

By Daily Kasi News Reporter

Kirkwood police are on the lookout for two armed suspects who were involved in a business robbery earlier on Thursday.

Police spokesperson, Captain Gerda Swart, told Daily kasi news ” The men had entered a clothing store situated in Kirkwood’s Main Road just before 9 am.

She says one of them who was armed with a gun, threatened and tied the store workers up before fleeing in a white Toyota Corolla where two other people were waiting in the vehicle.

Swart says while there were no physical injuries, an undisclosed amount of money and several cellphones were stolen from the store.

She says anyone with information regarding the robbery should contact the Kirkwood police station as soon as possible.

By Daily Kasi News Reporter

The efforts of the relief organisation, Gift Of The Givers to address the water crisis in Graaff-Reinet was dealt a blow on Wednesday following the theft of essential tools needed for their work.

Representatives from the organisation arrived in the Karoo town in the Dr Beyers Naude Local Municipality on Tuesday following an urgent request after the town’s Nqweba Dam ran dry.

They began distributing bottled water to thirsty residents and also drilled boreholes at a local school.

However, Gift of the Givers founder, Dr Imtiaaz Sooliman, said that when their team returned on Wednesday morning they found most of their tools missing.

He said the stolen items include rare batteries, drilling tools and spanners, as well as diesel and other essential tools.

Sooliman said this was a setback as they hoped they would have had their first water by morning.

“It is a delay because we have to wait for a few hours. We have to wait for new supplies before we can continue with our drilling. It delays our drilling for a few hours because we need to find water for people but these are the things we have to deal with,” said Sooliman.

Meanwhile, Police spokesperson Bradley Rawlinson said although no case had yet been opened, police have attended to the complaint.

“The police vehicles attended to the complaint this morning after 6:00 am but there is no case which has been opened at this stage” confirmed Rawlinson.