The millions stolen by Johannes van Staden could have paid the grants of at least 166 667 people for a month, the court was told.

Cape Town - Convicted fraudster Johannes van Staden took at least a quarter of a billion rand in taxpayers money to fund two game farms worth R11 million, buy luxury cars and plush flats for his family members - all the while dodging detection from state tax services.

Based on the tax rates of 2009, he would have robbed at least 7 478 taxpayers of their dues. This was the testimony of Sars criminal investigator and chartered accountant Rory Cohen, who testified in aggravation of sentencing at the end of a marathon trial in the Western Cape High Court on Monday.

Van Staden was found guilty of defrauding Sars of at least R250 million in four years in what is said to be one of the biggest cases of VAT fraud experienced by the South African Revenue Service (Sars).

Van Staden was convicted of 35 of the 184 charges brought against him which included money laundering, fraud, racketeering and reckless lending in the company, Indo-Atlantic Group of Companies, he used as a front between 2005 and 2008.

The three men accused of being his accomplices - Marc Schoeman, Gerard Botha and Gary Newman - were acquitted of all charges against them last month.

Cohen told Judge Anton Veldhuizen that Van Staden “lived in luxury” with his stolen millions.

Cohen said that of the 2014 to 2015 financial year, 256 individuals/entities were convicted of cases involving R169m fraud. “It is evident that the prejudice for which Van Staden had been convicted in this case alone, exceeds the total for the full 2014/15 financial year.”

What shocked the State most was that Sars was not able to recover any of the millions in Van Staden’s possession.

An additional R2m was also spent by Sars to investigate the fraud in the eight years the trial has dragged on.

“Tax defrauding is an offence against society in which the offender inevitably gains an unfair advantage over compliant taxpayers, giving the offender an undeserved competitive advantage, whilst at the same time shifting an increasing tax burden onto compliant taxpayers both in terms of having to fund the national tax budget and in having to deal with potential increased Sars requests for documentation.”

He said Van Staden’s actions will have a significant impact on government’s ability to provide services to the citizens of South Africa.

The funds misappropriated by Van Staden could have paid the old age grants, disability grants and care-dependency grants of at least 166 667 people for a month or finance the child support grants of 714 286 children for the same period.

When the amount was adjusted for inflation, Sars’ loss would approximate R370m .

Van Staden will hear his fate on Friday.

gadeeja.abbas@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

Former Western Cape public works official Gary Fisher is accused of actively discouraging the use of the Tafelberg site for affordable housing for personal gain.

Cape Town - Controversy continues to swirl around the pending R135 million sale of the former Tafelberg school site in Sea Point, with allegations that a former Western Cape public works official actively discouraged the use of the property for affordable housing for personal gain.

Gary Fisher, the former deputy director general in the department of public works, is being accused of dissuading a social housing company interested in the Sea Point property in favour of other public properties, particularly the old Woodstock hospital.

In an e-mail to social housing company Communicare in March 2012, two years before provincial government issued an expression of interest for the Tafelberg site, Fisher wrote: “I believe you should focus your attention on the Woodstock site for the time being. The Tafelberg site exhibits mixed-use potential, which will no doubt include an element of housing.

“For this reason and the fact the area is under intense scrutiny by local ratepayers and other stakeholders, it is going to be a more drawn out process. Your quick win is Woodstock.”

In a follow-up e-mail, Fisher added: “We certainly believe for instance that housing should be the primary driver in developing the Woodstock site. This however may not be the case with respect to the Sea Point sites... I think you guys should concentrate your energy on sites that can really make a dent in the housing backlog such as Ottery, Stikland, etc.”

Fisher worked in the Public Works department from 2011, serving also as Western Cape Premier Helen Zille’s adviser on urban regeneration by the time he left in 2014.

The Ndifuna Ukwazi Law Centre, which is representing the Reclaim the City movement in challenging the sale of the property to the Phyllis Jowell Jewish Day School, said Fisher’s e-mails indicated the push for the sale of the site was “engineered” long before it went on the market.

In response, Fisher said on Monday all communications were directed by the regeneration programme mandate as endorsed by cabinet in September 2010. “In all my correspondence and interactions I was guided by that framework,” he said.

Fisher was involved in the expression of interest process to test the market for the sale of the Tafelberg site and three others, but left the department before the decision to sell and the tender was issued.

Capitalgro, a property investment group in which he was a non-executive board member at the time, bought two properties in the vicinity of the Tafelberg site - one worth R95m before he left office, and the other worth R97m, shortly after he left. Fisher is now the executive chairman of Capitalgro.

Ndifuna Ukwazi said Fisher’s involvement in the expression of interest represented a conflict of interest, because by selling the Tafelberg site, it would add value to Capitalgro’s investments.

In e-mails posted online by the amaBhungane Centre of Investigative Journalism, public works head of department Jacqui Gooch said Fisher declared his interests in Capitalgro while working in the department.

The sale of the Tafelberg property was halted by a court order in May to force the Western Cape government to re-open the public comment process.

More than 5 000 public submissions were received last month and Zille’s cabinet will now have to decide whether to continue or cancel the sale based on these submissions. Zille has denied any irregularities in the decision to sell the site.

lindsay.dentlinger@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

An Emergency Services crew was ambushed, assaulted and robbed by a gang of knife-wielding men while loading a patient into an ambulance.

Cape Times - An Emergency Services crew was ambushed, assaulted and robbed by a gang of knife-wielding men while loading a patient into an ambulance in the Happy Valley informal settlement near Blackheath on Monday.

The five men stabbed the female paramedic with a broken bottle before taking the crew’s valuables, including wallets, cellphones and handbags.

Her colleague was threatened with a knife, but was not injured.

The suspects then ripped the mobile data terminal from the vehicle’s dashboard, putting it out of service for several weeks.

EMS provincial spokesperson Robert Daniels said the crew received medical attention

Police spokesperson FC Van Wyk said they were investigating a case of robbery.

siyavuya.mzantsi@inl.co.za

Cape Times

Those fighting to save the Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA) from being paved over by private developers want it declared a heritage site.

Cape Town - Those fighting to save the Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA) from being paved over by private developers want it declared a heritage site.

“We want full heritage status and to have blanket protection for the whole area,” says Nazeer Sonday, spokesman for the PHA Food and Farming Campaign.

The campaign, along with the Schaapkraal Civic and Environmental Association and several other organisations, are fighting the developments on several fronts.

Last month, additional documentation was added to the complaint which the public protector’s office was first asked to investigate in 2014.

The complaint to the public protector says: “The city is now poised to grant wholesale permission to developers who have by now (since our original complaint couriered to you on April 23, 2014) already named the streets for 26 000 - 46 000 houses, two shopping centres, a private school, a private prison, community services and light industry on prime agricultural land.”

They have asked the public protector to halt the processing of all the developments in the PHA. They also want the investigation to include what land has been bought in the PHA, at what cost and to what end.

“Housing over prime agricultural land will lead to the slow death of the PHA which will lead to the skyrocketing of food prices in the city. The slow death of the aquifer having being built over its primary recharge zone will destroy our future potable water and lead everyone in the city paying high prices for desalinated water in the future,” they said in the complaint.

In May, a special appeals committee dismissed an earlier appeal to rezone several erven in the south-western corner of the PHA from agricultural use to sub-divisional area overlay zone. The appellant was Exclusive Access Trading and the respondent Heritage Western Cape, while the PHA Food and Farming Campaign was interested and affected party.

Sonday said this was for the U-Vest development for 6 000 houses, shopping centres and a private school, and that the developers were appealing the heritage ruling.

In the ruling, Shekesh Sirkar, chairman of the appeals committee, noted the close proximity of the PHA to consumers helped to keep fresh vegetables affordable and available throughout the year.

“The PHA farm lands and seasonal wetlands are the last naturally occurring recharge for the Cape Flats Aquifer. The aquifer is a free source of irrigation water for farmers and is also the future potable water for the City of Cape Town,” he said while noting it also employed more than 4 000 workers.

Sirkar said the committee had to weigh up the socio economic benefits of a future development against protection of the PHA heritage resources.

Mxolisi Dlamuka, chief executive of Heritage Western Cape, said the organisation had approved an application on adjacent land which had been subject to sand mining and was not being actively used for agriculture.

helen.bamford@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

The SACP in the Western Cape has called SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng's controversial antics “the last kicks of a dying horse”.

Cape Town - The South African Communist Party (SACP) in the Western Cape has called South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Chief Operating Officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng's controversial antics "the last kicks of a dying horse".

A small group of SACP members braved the Cape Town cold and assembled in front of the SABC offices in Sea Point on Wednesday morning.

The party had called the protest to voice its support for seven SABC journalists who have been axed by the public broadcaster after they refused to adhere to the organisation's contentious editorial policy.

SACP deputy general-secretary Solly Mapaila said: "Our position is clear: Hlaudi Motsoeneng is not qualified to lead the SABC. He must go."

Mapaila said Motsoeneng's dismissal of Icasa's ruling was because he didn't understand his role.

"He thinks he's the so-called boss," Mapaila said, adding, "The SABC is a public institution. The (bosses) are the citizens. The boss is the Constitution. He wants to try and reverse that and it's impossible."

Cape Argus

Each day that Western Cape paramedics go out on a call, Ambulance chief Pumzile Papu prays for their safe return.

Cape Town - Each day that Western Cape paramedics go out on a call, Ambulance chief Pumzile Papu prays for their safe return.

Papu said he prays for his staff after attacks on provincial Emergency Medical Services (EMS) teams - there have been 39 reported attacks since the beginning of the year.

In the latest attack, a female paramedic was treated in hospital after she was stabbed responding to a call in Happy Valley near Blackheath.

Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said the paramedics were attacked at around midnight and were robbed of their mobile data device, used to communicate with their central dispatch, and a cellphone.

“Police are investigating a case of robbery with a weapon.

“Two suspects aged between 20 and 24 were arrested in connection with the incident.

“They are due to appear in the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court once charged,” Van Wyk said.

Papu, who visited the scene, said paramedics were responding to a call about a woman who had collapsed, and were attacked as they were leaving.

The female medic was stabbed with a broken bottle.

“This makes us very angry, because we are there to help people who are dying and these are the areas where people need us most. These attacks have made people vulnerable and they feel unsafe to work, especially at night.”

Papu said the attacks affected the morale of the rest of the team.

“In most cases they are not psychologically sound.

“The victim might spend time seeing counsellors but we are losing personnel.

“We are praying every day that no one is killed.”

He said staff had been robbed of their cellphones, money and jewellery.

Papu said some areas had been labelled “red areas” and EMS did not go there without a police escort.

“We depend on intelligence of the police where they will inform us about areas that are not safe, and in those areas we will get a police escort, but we have red areas’ and we do not go until police can escort us inside.”

The areas include Site C, Nyanga, Hanover Park and Bonteheuwel.

ER24 spokesman Pieter Rossouw said they have had equipment and medical supplies stolen from their ambulances in similar incidents.

He said some of the medical supplies, such as syringes and morphine, were sold by the perpetrators.

ER24 condemned the attack on the provincial EMS, and said the attack on medics meant there were fewer vehicles to respond, which could result in delayed responses.

They also urged people not to buy any medical equipment or stock sold by non-registered people.

yolisa.tswanya@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

Brazen robbers rammed their bakkie into a Cape Town jewellery store, ‘took what they could’, and fled with the stolen goods in another car.

Cape Town - The owners of a jewellery store say they are lucky to be alive after armed robbers rammed their bakkie into their shop window.

The brazen robbers left the bakkie behind in the Rylands store and fled with stolen jewellery in another car.

The four men reversed their silver Toyota Hilux, into the front window and broke the glass displays with hammers.

Jabbar Jabbar, 52, owner of Andaaz Jewellers, on the corners of Murton and Pine Road, said his partner and cousin Zahoor Khan, 48, was alone inside the shop just before noon.

“The bakkie came from Pine Road and the [getaway] car was in Murton Road,” said Jabbar.

“After they broke through the window, they took what they could and left.

“They left the hammers in the shop. It happened in minutes.

By late yesterday, they were still counting the cost of the jewellery that was stolen.

Jabbar said he was outside the shop when he heard gunshots.

“My cousin shot at them from inside and one of the suspects was injured,” he said.

“They drove off in a white [VW] Polo which police later found in College Road [Rylands].

“The jewellery hasn’t been found yet. We are normally very busy. It looks like they planned the hit because they came straight for the shop. My cousin is fine, his finger was cut by the glass but he very lucky to be fine,” said Jabbar.

When police arrived, the bakkie was still stuck in the window.

About five bullet holes could clearly be seen in another window.

Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said a case of business robbery is under investigation.

“At about 11am five unidentified suspects robbed a jewellery shop in Rylands.

“The suspects fled the scene with an undisclosed amount jewellery.

“No one has been arrested at this stage. They are still at large,” Van Wyk added.

* Anyone with any information about this incident is asked to contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

Daily Voice

Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille turned the sod at a R123 million housing project that would house over 500 families in Manenberg.

Cape Town - Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille turned the sod at a housing project that would house over 500 families in Manenberg on Wednesday.

The R123 million housing development project, situated in The Downs development in Manenberg would be able to house 587 families and it is part of the City of Cape Town's Integrated Development Plan.

Speaking at the event, which took place on Wednesday morning, de Lille said: “Housing opportunities will be provided for residents from Manenberg, Surrey Estate, Tambo Square, Sherwood Park and Gugulethu.” She recalled how the City, in 2011, had “immediately identified Manenberg as an area in desperate need of urban upgrading and in need of regeneration”.

The housing project came about as the City's commitment to redressing social issues within the city's communities. De Lille said the City had spent over R200 million to upgrade the council's community residential units in the area. She noted that additional resources amounting to R40 million had to be spent “to pay for additional costs incurred due to the delays caused by gangsterism and crime”.

De Lille acknowledged that the City was guided by a pledge to do all that they could within their mandate to overcome the “many generations of spatial and economic exclusion” suffered by people who were forced to make Manenberg their home.

Interventions the city has poured energy into the area included a R5,5 million synthetic pitch for a world-class sports facility and the building of the Manenberg Youth Lifestyle Campus which was part of a R29 million investment in the area for the next three years.

“We are busy transforming Manenberg into the town we all know it can become,” de Lille said.

“We believe that if the youth are given opportunities, they will not be tempted by the lure of gangsterism and drugs which has torn this community apart for too long.”

De Lille said the City had budgeted R8,2 million for social crime prevention and safety projects in Manenberg.

“As the government, our job is to balance doing what we can to right the wrongs of the past, while also managing the current and future growth of our city.”

African News Agency

With the help of his mother's employer and a cornea transplant, 15-year-old Riyaaz Carollisen has a good chance of having his eyesight restored.

Cape Town - Two days ago, Riyaaz Carollisen’s eye sight was at only 10 percent and now a cornea donation may restore his eyesight within a couple of days.

The 15-year-old from Hanover Park and Grade 9 Batavia School of Skills pupil underwent cornea surgery on his right eye at Life Kingsbury Hospital in Claremont on Tuesday night.

He had lost about 90 percent of his eyesight after being diagnosed with keratoconus, a progressive disease in which the round cornea thins and begins to bulge into a cone-like shape, causing distorted vision.

The transplant, which can cost up to R75 000 in the private healthcare sector as most corneas are imported from overseas, amounted to R45 000 as the donor was local

Riyaaz’s mother, Shaqeelah Carollisen, 43, who is a private carer in Clifton, had fundraised about R10 000 with the help of a jazz artist Johnathan Rubain.

When she found out on Monday that her son had received a donor and that the operation would be the next day, she had no choice but to seek help from her employer who had already paid for a prior surgery to the boy’s eye.

She received an additional R35 000 as a loan from her employer, Helet Merkling.

Carollisen found out about the cornea donation at work.

“I froze for some time because I was very nervous and happy at the same time, now my son will finally get to see the sun rise and set.”

Dr Mike Attenborough, an ophthalmologist and cornea specialist who had already operated on Riyaaz, said about 85 percent of corneas were sourced from the US.

“There is a struggle to get human tissue in South Africa, let alone a cornea because of various issues,” Attenborough said.

He added that cornea transplants had about 95 percent success rates and that Riyaaz would be able to see within a couple of days.

“He will have better vision within a few days.

“There are 16 stitches that hold the transplant in place and that will heal after a year, when the stitches have fallen out.

“Long term problems of such a transplant may include rejection of the eye, hence one has to have regular check-ups, about six to seven times a year.”

Riyaaz, who lives with his mother and grandmother, said he was emotional while waiting for the surgery.

“I am excited, but I am also nervous because the cross linking operation I had earlier was very painful.

“ And I do not know what to expect with this one,” he said.

Carollisen said she was still in need of funding in order to pay her employer.

She said she will also need to pay for her son’s contact lenses, which are expensive.

leletu.gxuluwe@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

The Stellenbosch University Choir has taken first place in the prestigious International Choir Games in Sochi, Russia.

Cape Town - The Stellenbosch University Choir has taken first place in the prestigious International Choir Games, which were held in Sochi, Russia.

Overjoyed members arrived in Cape Town on Tuesday, boasting gold medals they won in three categories.

The competition, which is held biannually, is regarded as the biggest international choir competition in the world. This year more than 300 choirs from 87 nations participated.

Choir conductor André van der Merwe said: “It was such a great experience for my choir to get this chance in life. Many of the choir members will never get an opportunity at that level to be ambassadors, not only for Stellenbosch University, but for the country as well. I still can’t believe we did that well. It’s all just a blessing. It was my first experience of Russia, so it was quite an overwhelming feeling.”

Van der Merwe said he was impressed with how the country had hosted the competition, describing the atmosphere as “warm and welcoming”.

He said he noticed the interest the Russians had towards South Africa and the culture, and how they responded to the choir singing at the games.

“In this regard I would say the World Choir Games gives people opportunities to not only share their cultures, but to see what makes each country unique. In a South African context I was proud to share our heritage and show the world that through singing you can unite nations, not only in one country but all over the world.”

The choir competed in contemporary music and presented songs especially composed for the event. They sang in sacred music, a capella and spiritual music.

Van der Merwe said: “My favourite was singing the spiritual music, which originates from Africa. It was more than incredible and we also received the highest marks of the competition. I am more than excited about everything. Many of our choir members couldn’t afford to travel abroad, but our offices, managed by Saartjie Botha, did incredible work by getting sponsors.

“I’m grateful for what our management team did to assist us.”

Choir member Andrea Visagie, 21, described the experience as “amazing”. “The trip was exciting for me, despite the hot weather It was amazing just getting to represent South Africa.

Bandile Msimanga, 21, said the trip was a life-changing experience for him. “It’s my first year being in the choir, so everything is new for me, but it was really life-changing. I’m happy we won after all the hard work.

Luthando Siboya, 21, a first-year medical student, said: “The people were very welcoming and Russia is very beautiful. I was surprised when I got there because people usually paint a different picture of the place. I spent most of my time using Google translate. It was one great place I’ll always remember.

“Who would have thought that at the age of 21 I would be going to Russia to sing at the World Choir Games? This was the highest achievement for me.”

The next Choir Games are scheduled to take place in South Africa in 2018.

nwabisa.masiza@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

A chilling video has emerged of a group of children, some as young as 7, taking huge delight in torturing and then stoning a dog to death.

Cape Town - A chilling video has emerged of a group of children, some as young as 7, taking huge delight in torturing and then stoning a dog to death.

Several of the children gleefully say: “You are going to die - to die” repeatedly before beginning a drawn-out seven-minute assault on the stray dog who is kicked and hung from a tree before being pelted with rocks and chunks of concrete.

Cape of Good Hope SPCA inspectors have identified the children and criminal charges of animal cruelty have been laid.

Tara McGovern, the spokeswoman for the SPCA, said the incident, which they were made aware of on Friday, happened at a vlei in Manenberg off Vygieskraal Road.

In the video eight children, aged between 7 and 17, are seen dragging a dog by a rope around his neck to a secluded area.

They are accompanied by a pitbull which they try to set on the stray dog while at the same time repeatedly kicking it.

The pitbull attacks a few times but when she doesn’t kill the stray, they hang it from a tree before taking it down and hurling rocks and concrete at the terrified cross-breed.

It is clear to see in the video the force with which the missiles are flung, many at the dog’s head and to hear the frenzied excitement from the children.

In the last image the dog is lying motionless on the ground.

At one stage the boy making the video says, “This is why you must look after your dogs, people.”

Welfare officials point out there is a well-documented link between childhood cruelty to animals and later criminality and violence.

Allan Perrins, the chief executive of the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, said when a child shows intentional cruelty towards an animal that is severe and without remorse such as in this case, it should be taken very seriously.

“Animal abuse is very often the first manifestation of serious emotional turmoil that may escalate into extreme violence.

“This is well documented and universally acknowledged.”

Perrins added that the images were not those of young hooligans behaving badly, but rather footage of tomorrow’s killers who, if left unchecked, would almost certainly kill again.

Within hours, SPCA inspectors had identified the children involved in the video as well as the individual recording the incident.

McGovern said a case had been opened at the Manenberg police station while social workers from the Department of Social Development had been contacted to assist with possible rehabilitation.

The dog’s body was later retrieved from the vlei.

She added the video showed the importance of their education programme.

“Humane education can break this cycle of violence and replace it with one of compassion, empathy and personal responsibility.”

helen.bamford@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

Metrorail has had to cancel 40 peak-hour trains trips in Cape Town after a number of vandalism and arson attacks.

Cape Town - Metrorail said it could take up to a year and a half before rail services are back to normal, but in the meantime, it is trying to make travelling less painful for commuters.

The railway agency has had to cancel 40 peak hour trains trips in Cape Town, and has listed them on social media so that people can make alternative arrangements during those times.

Metrorail said it was forced to cancel these trips after a number of vandalism and arson attacks earlier this year.

For months Metrorail has been struggling to keep up with demand, which has led to lengthy delays and protest action by trade unions.

To date the carrier said they have lost R139 million as a result of damages to its infrastructure.

Earlier this week, Metrorail posted about 40 trips that had been withdrawn from the morning and afternoon service.

The Northern Line is most affected, with about 25 trains removed. This is followed by the Southern Line with 12 trains.

Metrorail spokesperson Riana Scott said it was important to note that these are not new or additional cancellations, but trains that have been cancelled daily due to arson attacks.

#ServiceAlert : Note Morning & AfternoonPeak trains withdrawn from service until further notice (maintenance/arson) pic.twitter.com/bCYBiCBomy

— Metrorail W/Cape (@CapeTownTrains) July 20, 2016

She said the trains will be kept off its timetable until new trains are available again.

Scott said currently they are looking at a year and six months before all trains return to service.

“Efforts to resuscitate the region’s spare fleet continue unabated and pressure on service providers to refurbish burnt trains remains top of agenda,” she said.

“As we receive train-sets, we will be re-instating trips and informing customers accordingly.

“Variable daily cancellations due to in-service malfunctions and routine maintenance will be communicated daily, for this reason service updates are posted on social media, sent by SMS to registered users and announced at stations.”

The attacks on Metrorail’s trains escalated in April this year just before a strike by workers, over working conditions and safety.

In April, two trains at Cape Town Station were set alight and 10 carriages, as well as signalling equipment, destroyed.

The issue of safety for both commuters and train drivers made headlines last week when driver, Pieter Botha, 46, was gunned down during a robbery at Netreg station, while waiting for a train.

Two men have been arrested for the murder.

Daily Voice

Homeless people have complained that Cape Town Central City Improvement District officers are picking them up in the CBD and dumping them elsewhere.

Cape Town - The Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID) has come under fire from homeless people, who complained that CCID officers are picking them up in the CBD and dumping them on the outskirts of the city.

They were continually humiliated and stripped of their dignity, the homeless said. Their grievances were backed by former CCID employee Dean Ramjoomia, who started a campaign to support those whose rights were violated.

CCID chief operating officer Tasso Evangelinos said he could not comment due to a work dispute with Ramjoomia.

Barrington Mki, who has lived on the streets since he was 12 years old, said: “When you are just standing along the street, they are always asking us what we are doing. They will then chase us away. The way they speak to us is totally unacceptable.

“They pick us up in their vans and dump us in Mowbray or Woodstock. You have to find your own way back. We go through it so often.”

Mki, 39, complained that street people in the CBD were accused of being responsible for crime. “But not all of us are criminals or drug addicts. All we want is to be treated like human beings.”

CCID officers would also shove homeless people in their vans and take them to the police station, he said.

“They will take our blankets people give us. I don’t even know what they do with it. Law enforcement officers will also come and just take our belongings,” said Mki, who sleeps on land close to Trafalgar High School with a group of homeless people.

Colin Davids, who also lives on the streets, said he was once picked up by CCID staff and dumped in Maitland.

“It feels like in the days of apartheid. Foreigners in the city have more rights to be where they want to be.

“We are not allowed to be where we want to here in the city. We just want to be able to feel free like other citizens,” said Davids, who worked as a car guard in Buitenkant Street.

Ramjoomia said he has collected 307 signatures on a petition from homeless people demanding to be treated with respect.

“There are 16 demands we have drawn up along with a petition that we will hand over to the CCID and the mayor. One of the demands is that the CCID refrain from taking action against homeless people by removing them from areas in the CBD. It is a gross violation of their rights.

“The CCID should not be playing any role in removing homeless people from the CBD. They are being treated as undesirables,” he said.

In response to Ramjoomia’s comments, Evangelinos said: “Mr Ramjoomia was dismissed from the Cape Town Central City Improvement District in May of this year after an independently arbitrated disciplinary process.

“The matter is currently with the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), and until this has been resolved by the CCMA it would not be prudent for the CCID to be making statements publicly to any party.”

Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith said people who erected makeshift homes close to Trafalgar High contravened the City’s by-laws.

His staff are trained to deal with street people in a sensitive manner, Smith said, adding that up to 85% of complaints were of street people involved in anti-social behaviour, such as urinating in public.

“The complaints have escalated and staff have to take the hard line. Staff from the Displacement People Unit get stabbed and have faeces flung at them.”

nicolette.dirk@inl.co.za

Cape Times

The Cape Town city council has confirmed it is “in the process of exploring various options for the Philippi area”.

Cape Town - The Cape Town city council has confirmed it is “in the process of exploring various options for the Philippi area” that would “maximise the area’s potential for economic development, job creation, agriculture and housing”.

Spokeswoman Priya Reddy said it was hoped the process would findsustainable solutions that would strike the right balance of “maximising the agricultural potential of the area while responding to the broader urbanisation demands placed on the city”.

Reddy said the council had recently engaged the services of the Western Cape Economic Development Partnership in running a partnering project in the broader Philippi area, so that a “broad vision and strategy” could be developed over the next year that would “maximise the area's potential for economic development, job creation, agriculture and housing”.

But members of the Philippi Horticultural Area (PHA) Food and Farming Campaign say the council plans to buy farmland from developers in what is regarded as the city's breadbasket was not in the best interests of anyone.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Susanna Coleman of the campaign produced a letter dated June last year from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning to the council in connection with the rezoning regulations for the U-Vest housing development.

In the letter, the department says: “Once the land is rezoned it will be sold to the City of Cape Town, which would then identify areas to be developed and determine what development would take place on these areas.”

Coleman said they were aware there was a housing crisis, but the council had identified 11 000ha of land that could be suitable for development elsewhere.

Coleman said during a recent heritage appeal hearing, it emerged the developers had applied for rezoning which they said was not for development rights, but to “enable rezoning to allow for future urban development”.

Nazeer Sonday, spokesman for the PHA Food and Farming Campaign, said they believed there was something illegal going on which was why they had resubmitted their complaint to the public protector.

He said they had asked the public protector to halt the processing of all the developments in the PHA.

They also want the investigation to include the identification of land bought in the PHA, at what cost and to what end.

In 2014, a complaint was first laid with the Public Protector’s office against the council and the province.

They have asked the public protector to include in its investigation “fruitless and wasteful expenditure” by the council for commissioning five studies on the PHA, at taxpayers' expense - one of which cost more than R1 million - and then ignoring their contents.

Sonday said they had also started an application for the entire PHA to be declared a heritage site.

helen.bamford@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

Riyaaz Carollisen suffers from a rare degenerative eye disease. Now a cornea donation may restore his eyesight within a couple of days.

Cape Town - Riyaaz Carollisen suffers from keratoconus, a rare degenerative eye disease. Two days ago, the sight in his right eye was only at 10 percent. Now a cornea donation may restore his eyesight within a couple of days.

The 15-year-old from Hanover Park and Grade 9 Batavia School of Skills pupil underwent cornea surgery on his right eye at Life Kingsbury Hospital in Claremont on Tuesday night.

IOL Mojo’s Laura Skippers visited Riyaaz before his surgery

A police officer lied and must be charged in connection with the death of Gerdo Karelse who was found dead in holding cells, Ipid has found.

The Independent Police Investigative Directorate has found that a Beaufort West warrant officer lied about hourly checks being made on the holding cells where Gerdo Karelse was murdered.

Cape Town - A Beaufort West police warrant officer lied and must be charged in connection with the death of 18-year-old Gerdo Karelse, Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesperson Robbi Raburabu said.

The teenager was taken into custody on June 26 and was found dead in the holding cells the next morning. He had been kept in the cell with a fellow detainee, 29-year-old Zuko Mqungquthu, who had been arrested for domestic violence.

Read: Suspect in dock for murder in police cells

Mqungquthu was charged for Karelse’s murder. He appeared in court on June 28 and it was discovered that the teenager’s naked body was found in a pool of blood and had severe facial wounds.

After Karelse’s murder, Ipid conducted an investigation.

“We found the warrant officer on duty lied in his report about the conduct of police that morning. Proper procedure regarding hourly checks of the holding cells were not followed,” said Raburabu.

The warrant officer had said that other officers conducted checks of the cells that morning, but Ipid’s probe found the officers were in fact not on duty, said Raburabu.

“We will submit these findings to SAPS and recommend this officer be charged.”

Police spokesperson Malcolm Pojie said while he could not comment on the Ipid probe, police have concluded their investigation into Mqungquthu.

“However, the accused is still being detained awaiting the availability of a bed for psychiatric evaluation.”

Mqungquthu is expected to return to the Beaufort West Magistrate’s Court on August 5.

Karelse’s mother, Sannie Wyles, said Ipid’s investigators visited her last week, but gave no information on their investigation.

“I hope that they charge this officer who allowed this to happen to my son. The truth may be clear now, but the police must act according to the law and let this officer answer for what he has done.”

dominic.adriaanse@inl.co.za

Cape Times

Nine Cape Town Muslims have been deported from Namibia after being arrested while performing their daily prayers.

Johannesburg – Nine Cape Town Muslims have been deported from Namibia for allegedly engaging in “religious work” despite entering the country on visitors permits.

According to The Namibian newspaper, the nine were accused of breaching the conditions of their stay after immigration officials arrested them while they were performing their daily prayers at a Keetmanshoop mosque.

Namibian Islamic Judicial Council (NIJC) head Sheikh Desmond Dawid Tjipanga told the newspaper that he believed the group had been placed under surveillance upon entering Namibia.

“They (immigration officials) demanded permits which allowed the group to undertake religious activities. The group could not provide what was demanded and they were arrested and subsequently deported,” Tjipanga said.

Tjipanga told the newspaper that he believed the arrest of the men was a “clear act of discrimination against Muslims because their faith is anchored on daily prayers, even while on holiday”.

IOL

A 20-year-old dad was gunned down metres from his home in Scottsdene, Kraaifontein.

Cape Town - A young father was hit by twenty bullets after a shooter ambushed him while he was on his way to work.

Police say Darryn September, 20, was gunned down just a few metres from his house in Carmen Street, Scottsdene, just before 7am on Wednesday.

Residents say their area has been like a war zone since Sunday, when gangsters also shot at each other.

It’s believed a teenager was shot and killed in a gang-related incident, but this could not be confirmed on Wednesday.

Darryn’s mother, who asked to remain anonymous, says her son was not involved with gangsters.

The 36-year-old woman tells the Daily Voice: “He was on his way to work in Joostenbergvlakte. He was wearing a backpack, and he was hit more than 20 times, and when we got to him he was still wearing the rugsak.

“He has a little baby daughter of four months old.”

Darryn’s mother, who lost her husband in April, says Darryn was also shot at three weeks ago, when he was hit in the arm.

“But I can confirm that he was not involved with gangsters. He still attended church with us on Monday night.

“Now he will never see his daughter grow up,” she sobs.

Police spokesman Captain FC Van Wyk says the killer was still at large.

*Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 021 980 5500 or 021 980 5558.

Daily Voice

The Hawks’ have arrested an alleged fake tax practitioner for fraud amounting to R691 000.

Johannesburg - The Hawks’ Commercial Wing on Thursday arrested an alleged fake tax practitioner in Cape Town for fraud amounting to R691 000 following lengthy investigations, police said.

Police spokesperson Captain Lloyd Ramovha said on Thursday that between 2009 and 2012, the 42-year-old suspect – a self-professed tax-consultant – would allegedly approach unsuspecting South African Revenue Services (SARS) clients and undertake to assist them in submitting their tax returns.

“He would then, on their behalf, submit fictitious business related financial statements as well as false business expenses/losses as supporting documents,” Ramovha said.

“Upon the refund materialising, he would then allegedly pocket large sums. As a result of these unlawful actions the Receiver of Revenue has suffered losses amounting to approximately R691 000.”

Ramovha said the man was expected to appear in the Bellville Commercial Crimes Court on August 1 where he faces charges of contravening the Income Tax Act.

African News Agency

A Cape Town grandfather, who has earned his Master’s degree at the age of 71, has now set his sights on starting his PhD studies.

Cape Town - A Cape Town grandfather, who has earned his Master’s degree at the age of 71, has now set his sights on starting his PhD studies.

Anthony de la Harpe, from Belhar, started his Master’s studies at 68 and graduated with his MA in history from the University of the Western Cape on Thursday.

His research centred around a land claim involving a family who had been granted a farm in 1850 and claims that the farm was acquired from them by an English mining company by means that were not above board.

De la Harpe said a bad fall on the day he registered for his MA couldn’t stop him in his tracks.

“I fell and my leg broke in three places.”

He was born in Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape and studied teaching at what was then referred to as the University College of the Western Cape in the 1960s.

He worked as a teacher for several years and also completed his BA degree in 1975 and his BA (Hons) in 1977 at UWC.

“My Master's is something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. I guess it’s a deferred project.

De la Harpe said he didn’t find studying at his age more difficult than he did completing his other degrees several decades ago.

“It helps that one has more inner peace at this age.”

He started working for the Land Claims Commission in 1995 and it was here that he came into contact with thousands of claimants and their tragic stories of dispossession under The Group Areas Act.

“While working at the land claims commission, certain claimants lodged a claim for restitution of their land and entrusted me with accounts of the background to their land claim and copies of certain documentation.

“Several of my informants with whom I worked very closely, have since passed on, leaving me I guess with an obligation to tell their story.

“Hence the topic of my thesis.”

The father of three, who says he is semi-retired, still assists people with their land claims.

De la Harpe is now writing a proposal for his PhD which, if he can raise enough funding, would focus on the discovery of the diamond fields of Namaqualand.

Cape Argus