Eleanor Wyngaard was opening the driveway gate at her Westridge home to park her car, when two attackers struck and shot her twice.

Cape Town - A 45-year-old Cape Town woman has been shot dead by ruthless hijackers in front of her home.

Eleanor Wyngaard arrived at her Westridge home just before 10pm on Wednesday from an evening out with her boyfriend.

She was opening the driveway gate to park her white 2014 Toyota Etios, when two attackers struck.

Eleanor, an administrator at the Metro East Education Department, was shot twice; once close to her heart and the other in her leg.

She died at the scene.

Authorities now believe hijackers are targeting women in Mitchells Plain.

Mitchells Plain Community Policing Forum Cluster Chairperson, Hanif Loonat, said several cases have been reported in the area over the past few months where females have been attacked.

Eleanor’s distraught father, Christiaan Wyngaard, 73, said he was sitting in the lounge when he heard the two gunshots that killed his only daughter.

He jumped up and looked through the window, seeing two men driving off in her car,.

He called for his wife, who rushed to get their son Edgar, 50, from his room.

Edgar ran outside and found his sister lying in a pool of blood, still alive.

He gently scooped her up into his arms and carried her inside, but said: “Her eyes were half-closed, as if she were already gone.”

The police arrived within five minutes and a short while later an ambulance; paramedics battled to save her life.

Edgar said: “I watched the machine, just hoping for a jump on the heart machine, but she flatlined as they fought to save her. I suspect the bullet either penetrated her heart, or damaged a major artery close to it. She was gone. My sister, who was the personification of life, was senselessly ripped from us.”

On Thursday, shocked family, neighbours, friends and colleagues of Eleanor’s came out to support the family, offering their condolences.

Edgar said his sister was a bubbly person with a zest for life.

He said: “Everything she did was fierce. She loved fiercely and had tons of friends. She was jovial and if she was in a room, everybody knew it.

“She had that kind of presence. She was supportive and nothing ever bothered her. She lived her life happy and inspired others to do so as well. She taught me to be unafraid. To take on life and win every time.”

He described her as a well-organised perfectionist, who had left him strict instructions in the case of her death.

“She never wanted to grow old. That was all she wanted; never to grow old,” he added.

Loonat said he was disgusted by Eleanor’s senseless death.

“It is unfair that our women are being targeted in this way. Men are also targeted by hijackers, but women won’t normally fight back, so I don’t understand why they shot this lady.”

Two weeks ago, a woman was hijacked but left unharmed in Beagle Way, Strandfontein.

Police recovered her car, a white VW Polo, within 24 hours in Mitchells Plain.

Loonat said: “These criminals just do what they want. They don’t care how they affects others. They came for her car, but took away a life. This needs to stop.”

Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said a case of murder and car-jacking is being investigated.

No arrest has been made yet.

* Anyone with any information about the murder, or information about the hijacked car, registration CA 572 384, is asked to call investigating officer Detective Constable Bradley Schuurmaan on 021 370 1619 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

Daily Voice

Three minors have been charged in connection with the murder of a Metrorail train driver while he was waiting on a platform.

Cape Town - Three minors have been charged in connection with the murder of Metrorail train driver Piet Botha while he was waiting on a platform at Netreg station earlier this month.

The minors, whose names are being withheld, made their first appearance in the Bishop Lavis Magistrate’s Court on Thursday.

They appeared alongside Marlin Johnson, 22, believed to be an accomplice in the murder.

He was formally charged with the murder of the 46-year-old train driver as he made his second appearance before the court.

Botha, a Malmesbury resident, is said to have been training a colleague and, while waiting for the next train on the Netreg platform, was accosted and killed for his belongings.

He was shot twice at close range.

A fifth man, who is Johnson’s neighbour, Cedrick Andrews, 37, was also apprehended by police earlier this month when they allegedly found the murder weapon in his possession.

While the charges against the minors were unclear, they will appear again alongside Johnson and Andrews on August 24, when it is expected that they will make an application to be placed in the care of their respective guardians.

The trio will be remanded in Pollsmoor’s juvenile wing until their next court appearances.

Johnson and Andrews will remain in custody until their bail application on August 24.

Last week, three men were shot near Netreg train station as residents gathered in remembrance of the slain Metrorail driver.

Cape Argus

Suspended SABC anchor Vuyo Mvoko has detailed the public broadcaster’s editorial influence in court papers yet to be filed in court.

Cape Town - Suspended SABC anchor and contributing editor Vuyo Mvoko has detailed the public broadcaster’s editorial influence in court papers yet to be filed in the South Gauteng High Court in Joburg.

The papers were served on the SABC on Thursday and are due to be filed in court on Monday.

In the papers, Mvoko sets out how the SABC “unlawfully refused” to honour its contract of service with him from July 7, by refusing to allow him to return to work.

Mvoko is not employed by the SABC, but was among eight journalists who had spoken out against changes in the corporation’s editorial policy surrounding the broadcasting of violent protests in which public property was being destroyed.

His three-year contract with the SABC, signed on April 1, 2016, expires in 2019.

In the court papers, Mvoko outlines a number of instances of interference by the broadcaster.

“What is happening is a full onslaught on the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution, most importantly the right to freedom of expression,” it reads.

Mvoko challenges the SABC’s decision to suspend him for bringing the broadcaster into disrepute for writing an article published in Independent Media’s titles on July 6.

Mvoko writes in the court papers that his show On The Record was cancelled without consultation or any reasons given.

The episode which aired on March 18 this year centred around race in South Africa and featured Public Protector Thuli Madonsela as one of the guests.

It was standard practice for the show to be aired at various times on the day following its premiere.

However, Mvoko said on March 19 this did not happen.

“The show was not repeated, without any consultation or communication with me as the executive producer of the show.

“Instead, on March 19, I was called into a meeting by Nyana Molete and Nothando Maseko (his reporting officers).

“Molete informed me that management did not want the show to continue. I asked for a reason, and he told me no reason had been given to him. That was the end of the debate. In short, the show was cancelled with no reasons given. It never played on air again,” Mvoko writes.

He said he was later told that acting chief executive Jimi Matthews was unhappy with Madonsela”s appearance on the show.

Mvoko informed his viewers about the show”s cancellation via Twitter and said he was subsequently disciplined for doing so.

The acting political editor, Sophie Mokoena, had told Mvoko that SABC chief operating officer Hlaudi Motsoeneng was “scrutinising each and every word which I was uttering and that I should be careful on air”.

lance.witten@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

Manenberg residents say they fear an all-out gang war after a suspected gangster was allegedly killed by more than 100 gangsters.

Cape Town - Manenberg residents described on Thursday how metro police fled when a man running from hordes of alleged gangsters begged for help.

Manenberg Safety Forum chairperson Roegshanda Pascoe said alleged Hard Livings gangster Angelo Davids was killed on Wednesday, allegedly by more than 100 American, Clever Kids and Dixie Boys gangsters.

Within two hours, SAPS and metro police arrested three people, and confiscated six firearms and live ammunition in separate incidents in Manenberg.

Residents said on Thursday Davids realised he was in danger when a gang leader yelled, “Maak hom vrek” (kill him). It is alleged that Davids was responsible for the killing of another gang member earlier in the week.

People said as Davids ran towards a metro police patrol car for help, the officers locked their doors and sped off, leaving Davids to fend for himself.

Pascoe said she and many others, including young children, looked on powerlessly as stones and weapons were used to brutally kill Davids.

His mother, Dianne Davids, said she went with him to hospital, but knew he was too far gone. “I don’t blame people for not helping as their lives would also have been in danger,” she said.

Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith said investigations were under way.

“Our vehicles have tracking units and our special investigations unit is looking into the incident. We are affecting change in gang areas at a fraction of the cost and manpower of police,” said Smith.

He said metro police had done exceptional work in the last two years to stabilise the area, but cannot take the role of the SAPS.

On Thursday, there was an eerie silence in the usually busy outlying Manenberg streets. But in Pecos Way, where Davids was murdered, crowds of people were gathered, discussing the murder and what they say is an impending all-out gang war.

Many children were kept out of school and little boys were playing with toy guns, casually taking aim at targets, some of them adults.

Groups of men gathered on street corners, watching people’s movements. In the streets people, mostly women, were venting their anger and frustration that nothing could stop the war, that the government was not interested in helping Manenberg, and that they would all end up dead.

Pascoe said his murder was in retaliation for an American gang member killed earlier in the week. “Police know who gave the order and nothing will happen. That’s what the government want - for our people to wipe each other out.”

Residents said they feared what the next few days would bring because they heard gangsters were preparing for war.

Of the three arrested on Wednesday, one is a 35-year-old man who was caught by the metro police gang unit.

Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said metro police were patrolling the N2 when they received information regarding a white Toyota Tazz with illegal firearms.

Metro police members spotted the vehicle on the off-ramp at Duinefontein Road in the direction of Manenberg. They pulled over the vehicle and as they approached, they saw the driver throwing a bag under the car. They checked the bag and found four 9mm pistols with 40 rounds of ammunition.

All the firearms had their serial numbers removed. The 35-year-old man was arrested for the possession of illegal and unlicensed firearms and ammunition, and an additional charge of possession of a prohibited firearm will be added.

The arrested men will appear in the Athlone Magistrate’s Court on charges including possession of prohibited firearms.

Van Wyk said the SAPS and their partners in the city police work hard to prevent illegal firearms from being used in the commission of crime. He said a murder investigation was under way and no arrests had been made.

Anyone with information can contact police on 021 699 9400 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

dominic.adriaanse@inl.co.za

Cape Times

Cape Town police seized four new 2016 Land Rover Defenders in a crackdown on a suspected illegal vehicle export syndicate.

Cape Town - Police on Thursday seized four brand-new 2016 Land Rover Defenders, worth an estimated total of R3 million, at a storage facility in Carlisle Road, Paarden Eiland, in a crackdown on what they suspect is an illegal vehicle export syndicate.

Norman Lamprecht, executive manager of the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), said on Friday that because the automotive industry was the largest manufacturing sector in South Africa’s economy, contributing 7.5 percent to its GDP last year alone, the illegal import and export of vehicles was eroding foreign investment and local employment.

Police spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said in a statement: “Fraudulent export documents were issued for the vehicles in Joburg while they were in storage in Cape Town.”

The vehicles were destined for Malaysia and the UK. The investigation is still under way.

Businesses and individuals can only import and export vehicles if they have been granted permission to do so by the South African Bureau of Standards (Sarbs) in a bid to protect the local manufacturing industry.

Lamprecht said that besides being the largest manufacturing sector in the country’s economy, the automobile industry had contributed 33.5 percent to South Africa’s manufacturing output.

He said that 150 000 people were employed in the vehicle and components manufacturing industry - which is expected to invest a record 7.6 billion in the industry this year - which made automotive crime a major issue that would affect businesses.

“All of these illegal activities harm investments and employments in the country. We are working very closely with authorities. We are aiming to double the vehicle production by 1 million per annum by 2020, from the current 615 658 last year,” Lamprecht said.

Western Cape Community Safety MEC Dan Plato said that criminal syndicates operating in the country were a major issue that financed the multibillion-rand criminal underworld.

“Some of the syndicates are local and some have international links like the Chinese, Bulgarian, Moroccan and Russian syndicates operating in the country.

“Police are aware of it and they are keeping a close eye.

“These syndicates are responsible for many international drugs, rhino horn, human trafficking and vehicle syndicates,” he said.

gadeeja.abbas@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

An alleged brothel owner from Cape Town, who is facing attempted murder and other charges, allegedly broke into the office of a detective assigned to her case.

Cape Town - A woman accused of breaking into a police detective’s office to take back her husband’s confiscated travel documents was released on R5 000 bail when she appeared in a court in Cape Town on Friday.

Jacqueline Seymour, 27, of Oakglen, a Bellville neighbourhood, appeared in the Bellville District Court before Magistrate Ronald Rieckert.

Her bail application was launched by defence attorney Neil Slabber.

It was a alleged in the proceedings that she operated a brothel and that she faces a charge of attempted murder in another matter for seriously assaulting a visitor to the brothel who refused to pay.

The court heard that during her arrest for the attempted murder, police confiscated her husband’s car as well as travel documents belonging to him that were in the vehicle.

Whilst in custody in the attempted murder case, she made a statement to the police implicating herself in the discovery of a charred body on the N7 highway, the court heard.

In Friday’s proceedings, she was charged with housebreaking and theft for allegedly breaking into the detective’s office to retrieve the confiscated travel documents.

The charge sheet alleges that she stole an envelope containing documents, keys, her husband’s passport, and car documents.

Seymour also faces a second charge of defeating the ends of justice.

The case is to be transferred to the Bellville Regional Court, and she was warned to appear in court again on August 28, when she will be informed of the date on which she has to appear in the regional court.

African News Agency

A prominent Western Cape businessman and a firearm collector have appeared in court in connection with the sale of illegal firearms.

Cape Town - A prominent Western Cape businessman, as well as a firearm collector and expert, appeared together in a court in Cape Town on Friday, facing multiple charges that include fraud, racketeering, corruption, and the theft of firearms and ammunition.

The businessman, Irshaad Laher, and the gun collector, Allan Robert Raves, appeared in the Bellville District Court before Magistrate Ronald Rieckert.

Raves’ case was transferred to the Western Cape High Court for trial and he was ordered to make his first appearance there on November 4 for a pre-trial conference.

Laher was warned to appear in the Bellvile District Court again on October 18 when his case will be transferred to the high court as well.

He is to join Raves at the pre-trial conference in November.

The State was represented by advocates Shareen Riley and Christiaan de Jongh, both attached to the Western Cape Directorate for Public Prosecutions who are to prosecute the two cases combined as one in the high court.

They requested the postponement of Laher’s case to October in order to obtain authority from the National Prosecuting Authority for the racketeering charges against both men.

Laher is out on bail of R100 000 and Raves on R20 000.

Raves recently appeared in the same court with former police colonel Christiaan Lodewyk Prinsloo of Vereeniging, who was jailed for 18 years in plea bargain proceedings on similar charges.

Raves faces 15 counts, including racketeering, corruption, money laundering, three of theft, the unlawful sale or supply of firearms and ammunition, possession of prohibited firearms and ammunition, the illegal possession of firearm parts, erasing the serial number of a firearm, defacing marks on SANDF (SA National Defence Force) firearms, destruction of firearms without authority, damaging or destroying firearms, and failure to keep a proper register of firearms.

Laher faces seven charges, including racketeering, corruption, money laundering, the illegal sale of firearms and ammunition, theft, the possession of prohibited firearms, and the illegal possession of ammunition.

African News Agency

Johan van Staden, who was sentenced to 20 years for defrauding Sars of more than R250 million, will have to fight one more battle.

Cape Town - While serving a 20-year sentence for defrauding the tax man of more than R250 million in fictitious VAT return claims, Cape Town businessman Johan van Staden will have to fight one more battle - an Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) bid to strip him of millions of rands worth of assets.

The AFU has about R6m of Van Staden’s assets under restraint and its next step in the process is to apply for a confiscation order.

On June 27 - the day Van Staden was convicted - the unit applied to have a confiscation inquiry held to quantify the benefit Van Staden had derived from the fraud. A date for the inquiry has not yet been set.

Van Staden, 54, convicted of fraud, racketeering, money laundering and reckless trading, was led down to the holding cells of the Western Cape High Court on Friday after Judge Anton Veldhuizen sentenced him to an effective 20 years behind bars.

The court found he was the mastermind of a multimillion-rand VAT fraud scheme, the largest to ever be prosecuted in the Western Cape.

He committed the fraud between 2005 and 2008 as the representative vendor of Indo Atlantic Seafoods (Pty) Limited, Indo Atlantic Shipping Limited and Southern Ocean Marine Corporation (Pty) Limited and as the person who was legally responsible for their VAT returns.

Passing sentence on Friday, Judge Veldhuizen said he could not find any factors which he regarded as unusual or which distinguished Van Staden from others. Although Van Staden had health problems, they were not serious and were treatable with the right medication.

The judge also pointed out that Van Staden had a previous conviction involving the presentation of false currency.

Turning to the crimes of which Van Staden was convicted, Judge Veldhuizen said he could hardly imagine a more serious case of fraud than this.

“It was committed again and again over a period of many years. You had ample opportunity to desist, but despite warnings, persisted with the dishonest conduct. This resulted in a potential loss of nearly R280m and an actual loss of about R250m,” he said.

The judge also pointed out that the fraud affected all taxpayers and the public.

“You appropriated money which could have been used for the benefit of the general public and especially the less privileged members of society. This you did to maintain your lavish lifestyle,” he said.

Judge Veldhuizen found it particularly disturbing that Van Staden lied when he gave evidence and tried to shift the blame.

“This conclusion is supported by the fact that, when you regained control over your assets and until the restraint order was reinstated by the Supreme Court of Appeal, you dissipated nearly R12m. This is, to this day, unaccounted for and happened over a period of approximately 18 months.

“These factors serve to aggravate the already serious crimes of which you stand convicted.”

He sentenced Van Staden to 20 years for the racketeering and money laundering, an additional 20 years for fraud, and two years for each of the three reckless trading convictions.The court ordered the sentences run concurrently, which means Van Staden’s effective sentence amounts to 20 years.

Eric Ntabazalila, the National Prosecuting Authority’s provincial spokesman, welcomed the sentence.

“This sentence should act as a deterrent to other criminals contemplating similar schemes. Such criminals need to know what awaits them if they succumb to the temptation to target the fiscus/Sars.”

He said the NPA was studying the judgment to determine whether or not to appeal the acquittal of Van Staden’s co-accused, Marc Schoeman, Gerhard Botha and Gary Newmark.

fatima.schroeder@inl.co.za

Weekend Argus

Irshaad Laher, accused of selling stolen police weapons to Cape Flats gangsters, was confronted by Pagad at his court appearance.

Pagad and angry community members confronted Irshaad Laher, who is accused of selling stolen police guns to Cape Town gangs, when he appeared in a Bellville court. 

Cape Town - Suspected gun smuggler Irshaad Laher, accused of selling thousands of stolen police weapons to Cape Flats gangsters, had to sneak out of the Bellville Magistrate’s Court with a police escort amid claims his life might be in danger.

Laher is accused of buying about 2 000 firearms from convicted former police colonel Christiaan Prinsloo, then selling these guns to local criminals.

He appeared in the dock on Friday alongside Gauteng arms dealer Alan Raves. More arrests are expected in the matter.

Read: Businessman, gun collector in dock

Before their case was called, Laher and Raves sat in the public gallery apparently unfazed by the protesters, who included national People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad) co-ordinator Abdus-Salaam Ebrahim.

At one point when Laher left the courtroom, Ebrahim and other Pagad members followed.

Moments later the members started shouting: “Allahu Akbar.”

They surrounded Laher, who was standing in a passage near his legal team with his head bowed.

Ebrahim shouted at him that he needed to acknowledge “all the people suffering in our country because of you”.

“How many children have died because of him?” Ebrahim yelled.

Police officers stepped in to keep the group away from Laher, then forced the protesters to leave the court.

While this was happening, a woman walked up to Laher, pointed at him and spoke steadily.

“For every child I have had to bury because of the guns that you have smuggled in, I’m praying that you listen to what God has to say to you today.”

Laher, who briefly made eye contact with her, was then ushered into the courtroom. Outside the court building other protesters shouted threats, including: “Get a hand grenade for him.”

Pagad’s deputy national co-ordinator Haroon Orrie, who was among the few dozen protesters, warned Laher was at risk of being attacked.

“Given the anger in communities, I think the possibility is great that something will happen to Mr Laher,” he said.

Asked about Laher’s safety on Friday, his legal representative, Pete Mihalik, said his client was a family man who “trusts that his God will protect him”.

Earlier this month an explosive device was thrown at Laher’s Rondebosch home, but did not detonate.

During on Friday’s proceedings it emerged the cases against Laher and Raves would be separated for now.

While Raves’s case was transferred to the Western Cape High Court where pre-trial proceedings are set to start on November 4, Laher is expected back in the Bellville court on October 18.

In Raves’s case, defence witnesses from within South Africa and abroad are expected to be called.

When proceedings ended on Friday, Laher was ushered quickly through a side door in the courtroom.

He did not leave the building via the normal public exit.

Raves did, however, and as he walked out protesters screamed that he was a murderer.

Raves remained silent as they jostled around him.

Scores of public order police officers monitored the group and when the situation escalated, they blocked off a section of the road in front of the court.

Mary Classen, of Hanover Park, shouted directly in Raves’s face: “We want justice for each and every mother whose child has been killed in gang violence.”

Her son, Devan Classe, 24, was murdered in a gang shooting in 2013.

Roegshanda Pascoe, a community leader from Manenberg, said she found it disturbing that Laher and Raves had legal representatives speaking on their behalf in court.

“I get so angry; What about those killed in gang violence?

“Who is speaking to them? They’ve been robbed of their voices,” she said.

caryn.dolley@inl.co.za

Weekend Argus

A convicted paedophile who sexually assaulted boys on the Cape Flats in the 1990s and is now tutoring pupils from Grade 2 to 11.

Cape Town - A convicted paedophile who sexually assaulted boys on the Cape Flats in the 1990s and is now tutoring children in Cape Town, has sparked a Social Development Department investigation and potential police intervention.

The man, Brian Shofer, places adverts on the free advertising website Gumtree offering “guaranteed results” and “a 100 percent pass rate”. When approached by Weekend Argus, he confirmed he teaches pupils from Grade 2 to 11.

Social Development Department spokeswoman Esther Lewis said they were looking into the matter.

Shofer is adamant he hasn’t committed a crime and said he didn’t see why he shouldn’t teach children. He said he was rehabilitated thanks to receiving “the very best of treatment” in jail.

He said if Weekend Argus didn’t publish this report, he would stop teaching children.

Shofer’s convictions date back to 1994. His first victims, mainly from Mitchells Plain, were aged between 7 and 14. He was jailed for several counts of indecent assault, before being released on parole.

He re-offended after setting up a youth centre in Hanover Park.

He was released from prison in 2010.

Weekend Argus traced his various online advertisements for private tutoring back to 2012.

The most recent advertisement was posted on July 4. It reads: “Hello learners and parents. My name is Brian Shofer. I am a very experienced tutor who is available every day to help your child/children with their problem subjects.

“My results are 100 percent passes! I am sure you have spotted serious weaknesses in your child/children’s second terms results! I am prepared to remedy this for you by providing extra lessons - at affordable cost in these holidays and beyond, in the comfort of your own home. I am prepared to tutor in any areas, covering all subjects and grades. I will guarantee my results. Call me NOW! I am waiting on your important call.”

Shofer said he had undergone intensive therapy, was treated in a tested programme and had an excellent prognosis.

“Since then I have maintained a stable and balanced life and have remained an upright, law-abiding citizen. The punishment for which I was imprisoned was served out and I enjoy all my rights in law as a free citizen... At no stage whatsoever was I informed by any single person, since regaining my freedom, that I may not tutor students,” he said.

Shofer said he’d disclosed his criminal history to the parents of the children he tutors and none had objected.

“I believe your newspaper will be opening a can of worms via an article concerning my education of people in the community. But then I will be ready and waiting to rectify this via the legal process. Fortunately my trust has ample funds allocated to deal with crises and major lawsuits, amongst other things,” he said.

Dr Marcel Londt, a senior lecturer in social work at the University of the Western Cape, questioned Shofer’s claims of full rehabilitation.

Londt runs a community-based sex offender programme.

She expressed concern about Shofer’s placing of the advertisement, saying it was a form of grooming.

“He is taunting society by hiding in the open. He knows what the gaps are in society and the challenges. So he plays the system,” she said.

Shaheda Omar, clinical director at The Teddy Bear Clinic, said there was nothing stopping Shofer from teaching but he should work with adults only.

“He should not work with children under any circumstances. Once a paedophile, always a paedophile,” she said.

The clinic did not treat Shofer.

Omar cautioned parents to establish the backgrounds of those who come into contact with their children.

They could ask for references and request proof of a clean criminal record.

Omar said sex offenders required long-term aftercare, adding that studies showed the chances of reoffending were high.

The challenge in South Africa was there was no aftercare once parole was complete.

Arina Smit, manager of the clinical unit at the National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Offenders, echoed Omar’s sentiments. She said the issue exposed the need for the government to look at monitoring of serial sex offenders.

Smit also did not treat Shofer, but expressed the view, based on Shofer’s responses to Weekend Argus, that he did not have insight into his behaviour or understand his need to be around children.

“I think these are red flags,” she said.

While Shofer had a right to work, the rights of the children he teaches were more important, in her view.

Provincial Education department spokeswoman Jessica Shelver said tutoring centres were not required to register with the department.

Someone with a conviction was generally disqualified from formally working with children, unless the conviction had been expunged.

“If a parent employs a private tutor they should request reference letters, proof of qualifications and a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check. Parents should be vigilant and observant to any change in the child’s behaviour. Communication between parent and child is key in this regard as topics on sexuality and abuse would encourage disclosures should there be any form of abuse.”

She said the department would not employ any teachers previously found guilty of a sexual offence and used a specialist agency to carry out background checks.

Shofer added that he had disclosed his criminal history to the parents of the children and none had objected. He agreed to forward the parents’ details to Independent Media with a copy of his CV which he said discloses his jail time.

But he changed his mind when Independent Media refused to halt publication.

Dr Marcel Londt, a senior lecturer in social work at the University of the Western Cape, questioned Shofer’s claims of full rehabilitation, however. Londt runs a community-based sex offender programme.

She said placing the advertisement was a form of grooming. “He is taunting society by hiding in the open. He knows what the gaps are in society and the challenges. So he plays the system.”

Shaheda Omar, clinical director at The Teddy Bear Clinic, said: “He should not work with children under any circumstances. Once a paedophile, always a paedophile.”

The clinic did not treat Shofer.

Omar cautioned parents to establish the backgrounds of those who have contact with their children. Omar said sex offenders required long-term after-care, adding chances of re-offending were high. But in South Africa there was no after-care once parole was complete.

Arina Smit, manager of the clinical unit at the National Institute for Crime Prevention, expressed the view, based on his responses to Independent Media, that he did not have insight into his behaviour, or understand his need to be around children.

“I think these are red flags,” she said.

fatima.schroeder@inl.co.za

Weekend Argus

A 27-year-old Zimbabwean woman, living in Hillbrow, was arrested at Cape Town International Airport for being in possession of 8.1kg of tik (crystal methamphetamine).

Cape Town - A 27-year-old Zimbabwean woman, living in Hillbrow, was arrested at Cape Town International Airport on Saturday for being in possession of tik (crystal methamphetamine) valued at more than R1.8 million, Western Cape police said.

Members of the border police based at Cape Town International Airport arrested the woman after she arrived on a flight from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg at about 10am, spokesman Captain FC van Wyk said.

“After passengers had collected their luggage from the carousel, the border police members conducted random searches. Members found 8.1kg of tik with an estimated street value of R1.822 million in the woman’s suitcase. She is due to appear in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court on Monday on drug-related charges,” Van Wyk said.

African News Agency

Hikers using trails along the southern peninsula have been warned to be extra cautious following three muggings in the area over two days.

Cape Town - Hikers using trails along the southern peninsula have been warned to be extra cautious following three muggings in the area over two days.

On Friday morning a cyclist was ambushed and robbed of her mountain bike at the bottom of a trail in Silvermine. That afternoon, a hiker was mugged on a trail above St James, while two US tourists were targeted on the same path on Thursday.

In each incident, two men were reported to be the perpetrators.

On Saturday SANParks regional spokeswoman Merle Collins confirmed the Silvermine mugging, but said details about it were sketchy.

“Obviously security in the area will be stepped up,” she said.

Collins said the two muggings along the St James path had not occurred on Table Mountain National Park land and she therefore referred queries to police.

Police spokesman Captain Frederick van Wyk was not able to respond to Weekend Argus’s questions about the muggings.

The Table Mountain Bikers group said one of two men who targeted the cyclist along the Silvermine trail had been wearing a red beanie and a blue jacket. A grainy image of the suspected muggers was uploaded on socials media and showed two men walking in the distance, one wearing a beanie and jacket matching the description. The second wore a black jacket and what appeared to be a grey cap.

“Please be very careful in this area. There has been a previous attempted bike jacking that we are aware of,” a post on the Table Mountain Bikers Facebook page said. The Simon’s Town community police forum also posted an alert.

A post said the cyclist was mugged along Ouwapad, an off-road trail that leads from Ou Kaapse Weg to Silvermine Road and Tokai Forest. The community police forum post also referred to the other two incidents that happened on St James path.

It said two US tourists were mugged on Thursday afternoon and while their handbags were later found, items including their cellphones and wallets had been stolen. The two were reported to be shaken, but were not harmed.

A Facebook user posted that he had also been mugged on the path on Friday afternoon.

“Think it’s the same 2 guys who mugged those tourists... from what the police were saying,” he wrote. Weekend Argus was not able to contact the hiker.

On Saturday, Eileen Heywood, project manager at the Simon’s Town community police forum, urged hikers to be vigilant.

“If you’re going to go hiking don’t go on your own,” she said. Heywood also advised hikers not to carry any valuables.

caryn.dolley@inl.co.za

Weekend Argus

Pupils at South Peninsula High School are appealing to the education officials to have principal Brian Isaacs reinstated immediately.

Cape Town - While South Peninsula High School principal Brian Isaacs is fighting two separate decisions to dismiss him, pupils at the school are appealing to the education officials to have him reinstated immediately.

And on Tuesday, supporters of the outspoken principal are also scheduled to hold a picket in Cape Town’s city centre where they will call for his return.

Last month, the presiding officer in the first disciplinary hearing against Isaacs recommended a sanction of dismissal. Isaacs has since lodged an appeal against the decision with Western Cape MEC of Education Debbie Schafer.

He had been found guilty on two charges of disrespect or abusive or insolent behaviour towards officials and of giving false statements concerning his employer, in terms of the Employment of Educators’ Act.

Isaacs, who is waiting on Schafer’s decision on his appeal, was told the presiding officer in a second disciplinary hearing against him had also recommended he be dismissed.

“The officer found Mr Isaacs guilty on four charges, including assaulting a learner; improper conduct by calling learners ‘scum’; refusing to allow learners to return to class for eight days; and failure to carry out a lawful instruction to ensure that learners returned to class,” said Paddy Attwell, spokesman at the Western Cape Education Department.

Isaacs was found not guilty on two charges, including improper conduct by referring to pupils as “scum”; and failure to obey a lawful instruction.

These are separate incidents to the ones he was found guilty of.

Attwell said the independent presiding officer, who is a city attorney, had recommended a sanction of demotion, alternatively dismissal if Isaacs refused to agree to demotion.

“If they want to fire me, I will leave with my head held high. Over the past 40 years I have been doing my best and have tried to act in the best interest of the students,” Isaacs has said.

Previously Isaacs said the department was targeting him because he had spoken out against certain policies and decisions it had taken. The department has denied this.

Schafer’s spokeswoman, Jessica Shelver, said Isaacs was also appealing the decision taken in the second case. “The minister (Schafer) has sought legal counsel with regard to the first appeal and will be seeking legal counsel also with regard to the second appeal.”

In their letter, which was sent last week, pupils appealed to Schafer to reinstate Isaacs immediately.

“The reason us students have not resorted to other forms of protest is because it is not the wish of Mr Isaacs that our education be disrupted. Several calls have been made by students and parents to shut down the school until he was reinstated but Mr Isaacs had made it clear that he would dishonour such a move.”

They said Isaacs’s suspension left a void, and appealed to the department “to make a responsible call on the matter”. “Mr Isaacs is only left with less than three years before he exits the schooling system. Given his contribution, he deserves to exit the system with dignity and honour. WCED and the country owe him that.”

Enrico Marinus, the South Peninsula Community Support Commitee’s chairman, said Tuesday’s picket would take place outside the provincial education department.

He said the committee, which was formed after Isaacs’s suspension in March, wanted Schafer to take her decision and see Isaacs reinstated as soon as possible.

The group plan to hand over a memorandum of demands to the head of the provincial education ministry, Bronagh Casey.

ilse.fredericks@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

As the local elections near, the main parties reveal their service delivery plans for the Western Cape.

As the local elections near, the main parties reveal their service delivery plans for the Western Cape.

EFF

Provincial leader: Bernard Joseph

Crime and policing

Under the EFF’s rule, police and law enforcement officers would have to undergo independent lifestyle audits, while municipalities under their control would employ community safety workers who would team with police to fight crime.

The party said the DA had successfully ensured that affluent areas were safe, while the poor majority was suffering, with 34 percent of drug-related crimes taking place in the Western Cape. It pointed to the DA’s failure to deal with the problem of drugs and gangs.

Western Cape MEC of Community Safety Dan Plato’s failed initiative of talking gangs into submission had not worked.

It was a failed social experiment in negotiating with those who held the poor hostage.

Unemployment:

It is ironic the DA criticised President Jacob Zuma for presenting Expanded Public Works Programme jobs as “work opportunities and not real jobs”, only for them to sing from the same hymn sheet when it came to the Expanded Public Works Programme in the Western Cape. The EFF said although the Expanded Public Works Programme facilitated some form of menial employment, the jobs were not sustainable.

Systemic poverty

The trickle down theory of poverty alleviation simply does not work and we propose that 50 percent of basic goods and services are sourced from within all EFF municipalities to ensure sustainable growth for all residents.

The EFF would insource all workers who perform municipality functions and would ensure that 40 percent of all investments in its jurisdiction would be administered by a community trust.

Service delivery

The DA’s disregard for safer sanitation has endangered the lives of citizens. Therefore the EFF promises running water, free electricity to the poor, the aged, indigents and those on a social grant, in every household where the party governs.

An EFF municipality would also probe ways in which clean energy can be generated in communities and would lobby for the deregulation of the energy sector in a way that benefits the poor. The party envisions a future where Eskom pays residents for generating electricity they feed into the grid, not the other way around.

Education

An EFF-run municipality would fund access to technological learning and would establish a bursary fund to ensure all deserving students can attend university. It would ensure that every ward it governs has an early childhood development centre. The DA wants to privatise the school system and instead of rehabilitating dysfunctional schools, would close schools it does not like.

Social welfare

EFF councillors would ensure that the child-headed households, the elderly and vulnerable residents be placed on a database to ensure no resident goes hungry.

Health care

The EFF plans to take health care to the people with the establishment of mobile clinics. This would be a free service to all residents. Queues for the aged would be a thing of the past as more hospitals would be built as essential services.

Corruption and accountability in government

All EFF councillors would be available 24 hours a day, six days a week. These councillors would fearlessly interrogate all the decisions taken in city councils and sub-councils and communicate this in a way that would be accessible to the communities they serve. Municipal officials would not be permitted to do businesses with the municipality to avoid corruption in tender processes.

Housing

Unlike the DA ,which uses the excuse of lack of available land to justify housing shortages, the EFF would ensure that the well resourced, apartheid-era style anti-land invasion unit is disbanded.

The EFF’s municipalities would appropriate land and give it to the historically dispossessed through a transparent mechanism on a “use it or lose it” basis. It would abolish all forms of informal settlements, upgrade the apartheid-era style flats into dignified living spaces and fast-track land claims for residents of informal settlement as well as backyard dwellers.

Infrastructure and development

The infrastructure footprint of the DA perpetuates apartheid spatial planning.

The EFF would not cast the poor out on to the fringes of civilisation, leaving them to fend for themselves. Adequate sanitation, roads and services are capital projects that can stimulate the local economy.

It would create a municipal roads agency responsible for the construction of roads and fresh produce markets to be the hub for producers and traders of fruit and vegetables.

ANC

Western Cape secretary Faiez Jacobs

Crime and policing

Taking a cautious approach on crime, the ANC said its previous track record speaks for itself.

“Crime was diminishing, gang lords and drug lords were put behind bars and communities were patrolled by thousands of volunteers under the banner of Bambanani.”

The city was safer because we had Bambanani Volunteers taking back our streets and communities. Community volunteers must be recruited to ensure visible policing in communities, resources must be deployed where needed, criminal high flyers must be named and shamed, community safety forums must be strengthened and street committees must be reactivated.

Unemployment

Promoting local procurement of goods and services to increase local production goes hand in hand with developing productive and creative skills of young people for economic projects and activities in municipalities.

Under the ANC, government unemployment in the province dropped to just over 20 percent, while billions of rand were invested in the province. Under ANC rule, the youth was given work through the Expanded Public Works programme which absorbed 200 000 volunteers working to fight crime, build roads, as community health workers, as agriculture support workers and as community development workers.

Systemic poverty

The ANC has fought poverty by ensuring universal coverage of social security to senior citizens, children, the disabled and people living with HIV and Aids. We have ensured free health care for those who needed it and free education for the most deserving and promising young children. We provided free electricity, we rolled out housing subsidies and insured service link-ups for informal settlements.

Service delivery

Equal service delivery across the province will be a priority. The ANC is very clear on the provision of basic services for poverty alleviation. We must enhance the capacity of municipality to accelerate upgrading and integration of informal settlements. There will be an aggressive focus on electrification, effective water treatment infrastructure and proper sanitation.

Education

The promotion of better collaboration between government departments, communities and other stakeholders to accelerate the development and support of early childhood development facilities is key to our delivery plan. We will work with parents, teachers, students and relevant stakeholders to take the quality of learning and teaching campaign to communities. We have fought to keep schools in impoverished areas open while the DA worked towards closing schools in communities.

Social welfare

Ensuring that municipal programmes respond to the socio-economy needs of all citizens is our priority. The ANC has changed the complexion of welfare services from apartheid institutions to non-racial ones. Social grants and pension are increased annually, providing much-needed assistance in poverty-stricken areas.

Health care

Working with the provincial and national departments to deliver clinics, and through operation Phakisa to speedily improve health infrastructure services, we have ensured the roll-out of health-care infrastructure across the province and built more than 200 clinics and hospitals. The waiting time was shorter and we home-delivered chronic medication to our elders. We have intensified the fight against HIV and Aids, declared a TB emergency, turned around child mortality and many other challenges, all this while the DA closed much-needed facilities such as GF Jooste Hospital.

Corruption and accountability

We will vigorously implement anti-corruption programmes to identify and deal with cases of fraud and corruption. Municipal officials and councillors are prevented from doing business with municipalities. Our councillors will sign performance agreements so we can keep them accountable at all times. The DA has made much noise about Nkandla, but it is responsible for the multimillion rand Filcon construction scandal and, most recently, the controversial planned sale of the former Tafelberg school site in Sea Point.

Housing

The DA government has a backlog of more than 400 000 houses. When we take over we will accelerate the provision of houses for our people because we understand the value of having a home. We delivered more houses, built more than 16 000 RDP houses annually and electrified more townships. We will focus where we left off eight years ago by addressing the needs of informal settlements, residents and backyarders. As the ANC we will build social cohesion, trust and co-operation between communities.

Infrastructure and development

Our aim is to rid the city of its apartheid spatial planning and development to ensure integrated communities. We will cut out corruption and ensure smaller developers are not unfairly overlooked when tenders are awarded.

DA

Provincial leader: Patricia de Lille

With its election plan on track, their activists deployed and their message of hope and change being spread across the province, the DA is confident it will walk away victorious during the upcoming local government elections.

The party is pitching its service delivery track record - that DA-run municipalities and the city council are the best run in the country, despite the opposition”s narrative that the city is the most unequal and the DA only looks after the interests of the rich middle class while ignoring the sprawling townships where the poor majority live.

The DA said it was delivering better services to a greater percentage of people, with 67 percent of the city council’s budget spent on the poor.

DA provincial leader Patricia de Lille at the weekend stressed their services were of an equal standard for the rich and poor.

The DA conceded more still needed to be done, as it urged voters to keep them in power.

Councillor Anda Ntsodo outlined the party’s agenda.

Crime and policing

Policing is a national mandate, but the DA-run City of Cape Town offers support to community policing forums and we also have auxiliary services in the form of the law enforcement.

The police are under-resourced so we support them.

However, we cannot investigate crimes as that is a police competency.

Unemployment

Local government creates an enabling environment where business can grow to create jobs.

We build and maintain infrastructure so that business can use infrastructure to conduct its affairs.

We ensure there is water, electricity and broadband for communication use.

We have the bus-rapid transport (BRT) system to bring people closer to the economic hub and we are championing social development.

The municipality avails land, where developers can buy land to develop at a good price to boost business.

We do this in Atlantis, in an effort to establish a green industrial hub.

While the city council”s primary function is not that of an employer, it offers jobs in the form of its Extended PublicWorks Programme internships andlearnerships.

Service delivery

The DA-run city council is at more than 93 percent access to basic services and is the only metro that provides services to backyard dwellers. There is no area where people do not have access to water, sanitation and electricity.

The city council is driving clean environment campaigns and offers bins for recycling and composting for food gardens. The DA-run provincial government already supports 600 such local gardens.

Education

The Department of Early Childhood and Social Development has provided training to operators of crèches and early childhood development centres to ensure children from poor areas have a good start to their schooling.

The city council has an educational programme aimed at educating school girls about the risk of teenage pregnancy and the importance of staying in school.

Social welfare

Expanded Public Works Project funds allocated to the city council are being used to provide home-based care for the elderly and physically challenged.

We have drug rehabilitation centres in the Cape metro where youth are being assisted.

The DA said it would continue to call on the national government to increase the social grant and allocate an additional R2 billion to the budget spend for grants.

Health care

We have clinics in our poorer communities that roll out primary health care.

Clinics also have sou p kitchens for those patients who would otherwise take their tablets on empty stomachs.

Corruption and accountability

There is zero tolerance for corruption of any kind where the DA governs. The city council has hotlines where people can anonymously report corruption.

We are accountable to every citizen of the metro and we hold ourselves to a high standard.

Housing

We have many initiatives to support those who are waiting for a houses.

These include upgrading of informal settlements and services to backyard dwellers.

Those who do not qualify for a housing subsidy or a bond, can access social housing.

Infrastructure and development

We are expanding and upgrading our roads continuously. Where Metrorail is incapable of rendering its service due to vandalism, the MyCiTi bus service is made available for commuters to assist people in reaching their jobs.

Cope

Leader: Farouk Cassim

Crime and policing

Cope will address the issue of school drop-outs and the recruitment of minors as drug runners. We will create public-private skills centres, monitor entrances and exits at each residential area and use social media to provide information and pictures of criminal activities to a crime combating operation centre. We will establish street committees and undertake patrols. We will recruit police reservists in each area and insist on better police, while known criminals will be tagged so their whereabouts are known.

Unemployment

Skills development would be a priority, and the party would like to increase home-based shops since they actively promote social democracy. Cope is eager to see huge workshops built where artisans in impoverished areas can hire facilities and tools. It wants a cultural centre where communities can showcase their cultures, history and products.

Systemic poverty

Cope will encourage the twinning of disparate wards to allow ordinary citizens to practise Ubuntu and initiate a variety of upliftment initiatives for the poor. Urban agriculture, horticulture, bee keeping, recycling, forestry, environmental rehabilitation and artisanal activities will be actively supported.

Service delivery

Cope says professional planning services and alternatives must be provided to all communities. Each ward must have a say in how its allocation of the municipal budget is used. Harvesting of rain water must be financially supported as well as the use of solar energy for heating and lighting. The party wants greening, cleaning of the environment and infrastructure development to be fast-tracked.

Education

Educational institutions at all levels must be used optimally and should include night and weekend classes, distance learning and holiday classes to accelerate access to education. Cope wants all role-players to unite to make education interesting, relevant and uplifting.

Health care

Community health workers, with social workers, should routinely visit homes. Preventive medicine must have precedence over curative medicine. The creation and staffing of clinics should be the other side of the coin. Cope would like digital triage to be introduced so those needing urgent attention are given priority. Volunteers will work under qualified health professionals in a bid to relieve the work pressures.

Housing

Cope will pursue a Cape Town Declaration which defines human settlements as the totality of the human community - whether city, town or village - with all the social, material, organisational, spiritual and cultural elements that sustain it.

ACDP

Provincial leader: Grant Haskin

Crime

The ACDP, an alliance partner of the DA, said it would restore political relations with Minister of Police Nathi Nhleko and the police's structures to improve working operations between the city council and the police.

Unemployment

The party plans to work with the private sector towards providing skills training and mentorship programmes to entrepreneurs, with a special emphasis on empowering women and youth.

Systemic poverty

This requires a co-ordinated national response addressing all aspects including where and how poverty exists in relation to housing, education, transport, employment and economic opportunities.

Service delivery

We will relentlessly pursue the delivery, repairs and maintenance of basic services to all Cape Town households.

Social welfare

Cape Town is fast becoming an unaffordable city to live in and the DA has ignored pleas from the ACDP and communities that these increases are economically draining to households.

Health care

We will ensure that clinics are elderly- and disabled-friendly, well stocked, expertly staffed and service oriented.

Corruption and accountability

As leaders of integrity we treat every political party, community and organisation with respect, dignity and honesty.

Will Scott, who needs an assistant to push his wheelchair, has slammed MyCiTi bus officials for making them pay for the ride.

Cape Town - A Cape Town quadriplegic, who needs an assistant to push his wheelchair, has slammed MyCiTi bus officials for making them pay for the ride, saying it is discriminatory.

Will Scott, 42, has been in a wheelchair since he fell at 16 while practising for the world championships in gymnastics. The accident caused him to be paralysed from the neck down.

For the past two years, he has been fighting for equality for those living with disabilities who travel on MyCiTi buses.

Scott, a social media co-ordinator for the Western Cape Association for Persons with Disabilities, said: “I am a quadriplegic and I am unable to push myself around, therefore I require an assistant, Nomthetho Khunyuza, to help me out.

“They insist I should be paying for myself and my assistant on the bus, which I believe is discriminatory.”

He was told he needed to pay because only children under the age of four and people under one metre were exempt from paying.

“I thought to myself, you don’t charge a mother pushing a child in a stroller, so why are you charging me?’ I am not saying I am child in a stroller, but I have the same ability that a child in a stroller would necessarily have.”

Scott, who makes use of the MyCiTi bus about 12 times a month, said a driver once refused to leave the bus stop as he did not pay for his assistant. He was then forced to pay because there were other passengers.

Scott said many of the buses did not have working straps - to keep them secure - and some of the buses did not have boarding ramps. Brett Herron, the mayco member for Transport, said every commuter wanting to make use of the service must have their own myconnect card loaded with money to travel, except for children under 4 years old and one metre tall, who travel for free. There are no exceptions.

However, the City of Cape Town intends to investigate the possibility for commuters who need the assistance of a caretaker, to do so free of charge.

“This process is at a very early stage and must comply with the Municipal Finance Management Act, the National Land Transport Act, and other city policies,” said Herron.

“One of the options that we are investigating is to request commuters with special needs to provide Transport for Cape Town, the city’s transport authority, with the name and ID number of their caretaker - this person can then be added as an additional passenger’ on the commuter’s card.”

However, for the city to implement such a system they will need to have commuters with special needs to be assessed by an occupational therapist who will have to determine whether the commuter needs the assistance of a caretaker.

leletu.gxuluwe@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

A number of roads and mountain passes in the Eastern Cape and KZN were closed due to snowfalls while the Western Cape braces for storm conditions.

Johannesburg - A number of roads and mountain passes in the Eastern Cape were closed on Monday due to heavy snowfalls in the province.

Provincial traffic department deputy director Charles Bramwell said most towns in the north eastern parts of the Eastern Cape have been affected by snowfall.

This included the towns of Maclear, Ugie, Elliot, Barley-East, Dordrecht, Queenstown, Jamestown, Aliwal North, Burgersdorp, Mount Fletcher and Cala.

Bramwell said three of the busiest passes are among those closed.

These include Loodsberg pass on the N9 between Graaff-Reinet and Middelburg, the Wapadsberg pass on the R61 between Cradock and Graaff-Reinet, and the Penhoek pass on the N6 between Queenstown and Jamestown.

Other closures include the R410 between Cala and Queenstown, the R392 between Dodrecht and Queenstown, Boesmanshoek between Sterkstroom and Molteno and Satansnek Pass between Elliot and Ngcobo.

Bramwell also warned of mist and heavy rainfall on the N2 between Tsitsikamma and Humansdorp.

There was also traffic chaos in Durban on Monday morning after two buses and two taxis collided in separate incidents. This was as rain continued to fall over the city and snow closed major roads in KwaZulu-Natal.

The authorities have warned of dangerous conditions on roads in the province, with more cold weather expected and the sun expected to put in an appearance only on Thursday.

Thirty people were injured when two buses crashed in Chris Hani (North Coast) Road near the N2 on- and off-ramps.

One of the buses had been travelling from Phoenix towards Durban when it smashed into the side of another bus.

Traffic heading to Durban from the north, including Ntuzuma, Inanda, Phoenix, uMhlanga, and Duffs Road, was brought to a standstill for more than an hour.

Metro Police spokesman, Inspector Sibonelo Mchunu, said 13 people were seriously injured and they were taken to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Phoenix.

According to ER24 paramedics, a taxi driver, believed to be 33, was injured in a collision with another taxi on the M35 at Philani Valley before Isipingo.

ER24 spokeswoman, Chitra Bodasing, said only the two drivers were at the scene.

According to Snow Report SA, the following roads were closed in KwaZulu-Natal on Monday morning: Kingscote cutting, between Underberg and Swartberg; the R74 between Bergville and Harrismith; and the R617, between Underberg and Boston.

SA Weather Service forecaster, Julius Mahlangu, said on Sunday the rain was expected to continue until Wednesday evening, while snowfall in the south of the province and Midlands, would continue until Tuesday evening.

Snow Report SA predicted more snow over Lesotho, Sani Pass and its surround with heavy snowfalls expected into the evening over the Northern Drakensberg.

On Sunday, snow fell as far south as Kokstad and Matatiele, while the Midlands and much of the Drakensberg were also seeing their fair share of the white stuff. The lowest temperature was recorded at Giant’s Castle with the mercury dropping to zero and rising to only 4ºC on Sunday.

Con Roux, commercial manager for the N3 Toll Concession, which manages and operates the N3 Toll Route between Cedara in KZN, and Heidelberg in Gauteng, yesterday warned that, “With light snow flurries and sleet starting to fall in high-lying areas along the N3 Toll Route, motorists and transport operators are advised to avoid the area, if possible.

“This is because the snow has created black ice which makes the roads slippery when driving,” Roux added.

He said parts of the R74 at Oliviershoek Pass had also been closed and encouraged road users to be considerate when driving. “Emergency teams’ ability to address difficult situations and clear the route as quickly as possible depends heavily on the compliance of all road users,” he said.

Netcare’s Chris Botha said on Sunday that a vehicle had overturned on the N3 between Warden and Harrismith. “Reports from the scene indicate that the vehicle slid on the ice-covered road and overturned,” Botha said.

“Fortunately for the occupants of the Toyota Quantum minibus, they only had minor injuries,” he said. The injured were taken to a hospital in Harrismith for treatment, Botha added.

The Western Cape is bracing itself for storm conditions that will cause flooding in some areas and dangerous conditions along the coast.

Residents have been advised to practise “extreme caution” around the coastline which will experience strong gale-force winds, rough seas, heavy sea swells and big surf conditions, exacerbated by a full moon spring tide. The stormy conditions are expected to be accompanied by light snowfall in the mountains.

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) issued the warning after the SA Weather Service posted alerts.

The NSRI’s Craig Lambinon said the combined effect of the spring tide that peaked last Wednesday and stormy weather would cause dangerous sea, surf and shoreline conditions.

Spring tide happens twice every month, at full moon and at new moon, bringing higher-than-normal high tides, lower-than-normal low tides and stronger-than-normal rip currents.

Lambinon said: “We urge boaters, paddlers, bathers, sailors and anglers to be cautious around the coast during these storm conditions. We urge sea users to watch weather warnings, have the sea rescue emergency phone number, 112, programmed into your phone and only go to sea if it is absolutely necessary.

“Anglers fishing along the shoreline, hikers hiking along coastal hiking routes, beach strollers, paddlers and boaters should be vigilant of the tides, breaking surf along the shoreline, higher-than-normal high tides, lower-than-normal low tides, stronger-than-normal rip currents and rough sea conditions.”

He said that anyone launching any kind of craft to go to sea should let a responsible person know their launch time, theirexact route and when they expected to return.

“Stick to your intended plan and let a responsible person know their launch time, their exact route and when they will return. City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management spokeswoman Charlotte Powell said they were on “high alert” and standing by with a winter readiness programme designed to relieve the most vulnerable areas in the city.

Powell said the most high-risk areas were the informal settlements in Khayelitsha, Philippi, Strand and Masiphumelele.

The SA Weather Service is expecting heavy rainfall and flooding over the Eden and Overberg districts this evening, spreading to the Cape Metropole, Cape Winelands and West Coast district.

Ceres will see the chilliest drop to 1ºC while Paarl, Hermanus, Cape Agulhas, and Cape Point will drop to a low 11ºC and areas on the Cape Flats will see a minimum of 8ºC.

Gale-force south-easterly winds blowing at 65km/h to 75km/h are expected between Stilbaai and Table Bay tomorrow afternoon, with high waves predicted to reach a height of 9m between Cape Agulhas and Plettenberg Bay.

Weather Service staff predict an intense cut-off low pressure system will affect the Western Cape until Tuesday, with an 80 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Meanwhile Joburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) has warned residents to be careful trying to stay warm.

“We advise communities especially in the informal settlements to look after their paraffin stoves, candles and gas heaters,” said spokesman Robert Mulaudzi.

“Keep rooms well ventilated if you are using paraffin or gas to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

“In formal areas, be careful when leaving heaters on during the night,” he said, urging people instead to turn them off before going to bed.

Mulaudzi said Joburg EMS would be on high alert as the cold snap set in.

“If rain and snow is expected in Gauteng, we advise motorists to drive carefully as the roads will be wet and slippery, which can lead to more accidents,” he said.

While the SA Weather Service couldn't say on Monday whether the latest chill was the last bang for winter, Joburg can certainly expect a chilly few days ahead as the high pressure causing cooler conditions moves into the province from the east and north-east.

Forecaster Christina Thaele said: “Possible showers and thundershowers are expected today, with a 30 percent chance in the north of Gauteng and 60 percent in the south. This will continue until tomorrow, when there’s a 60 to 80 percent chance of on-and-off showers and thundershowers in the south of Gauteng.”

While the rain should clear up by Wednesday night, she said, that would bring little respite for residents. The wind-chill factor would make things feel colder than the temperatures on Monday.

And with the mercury not expected to reach more than 20ºC, the cold snap is set to hit hard.

“The temperatures for Gauteng are in the mid to high teens, with Pretoria’s maximum temperature reaching 19ºC, Joburg 18ºC and Vereeniging 16ºC,” said Thaele.

“By tomorrow, the maximum temperatures are expected to drop further to the lower teens.

“By Wednesday, the minimums will stay cold, possibly the coldest of the week, and temperatures will start to recover by Thursday,” she said.

Eskom warned that illegal connections and cable theft were straining the grid.

Ilanit.chernick@inl.co.za; @lanc_02

vuyo.mkize@inl.co.za; @vonchy_19

The Star, Cape Argus, Daily News and ANA

A 16-year-old Cape Town youth is accused of raping a five-year-old girl at his home, and also raping a 9-year-old girl repeatedly during the past month.

Cape Town – A 16-year-old alleged serial rapist will appear in the Khayelitsha Magistrate’s Court on Monday, police said in a statement.

The teenager lured a five-year-old child to his Makhaza home in Khayelitsha where he alleged raped her on Friday.

Police spokesperson Constable Noloyiso Rwexana said the teenager had also allegedly attacked and raped a nine-year-old girl repeatedly during the month of July.

Rwexana said he had used the “same modus operandi”.

Meanwhile, a 53-year-old man has also been arrested for allegedly raping three girls between the ages of 12 and 15 in Khayelitsha.

“The suspect would allegedly send his victims, who are between the ages of 12 and 15, to the shop. As soon as they came back the suspect locked the doors and raped them. He was arrested, charged for rape and appeared twice in Khayelitsha Magistrate court where he was remanded for a formal bail application on 17 August 2016”.

The statement urged community members to stand together and condemn “acts of this nature where young girls are being victimised”.

African News Agency

Transport and Public Works MEC Donald Grant allegedly lied about where the proceeds of the Tafelberg High School sale would go.

Cape Town - Lobbyists who have been calling for the Tafelberg High School site to be used for affordable housing say they are disappointed after learning the sale proceeds have been earmarked for provincial offices.

Weekend reports allege that Transport and Public Works MEC Donald Grant lied about where the proceeds of the Tafelberg sale would go.

The site was sold to the Phyllis Jowell Jewish Day School in February for R135 million.

Grant reportedly said the proceeds would enable the province to cross-subsidise projects for the poor.

But Ndifuna Ukwazi, a support organisation to Reclaim the City, said they have evidence the province had last October earmarked the proceeds from the sale of the development for a mega-project in the CBD's Dorp Street.

Ndifuna Ukwazi published a collection of around 700 leaked documents from the provincial government. The documents include internal e-mails, memos, meeting minutes and technical reports.

They say the #WCLeaks provide an unprecedented insight into “malfeasance” of the provincial government’s approach to managing public land.

Among other revelations, the #WCLeaks reveals the Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works sold the Tafelberg site with the intention of diverting the proceeds of R135m to help pay for a R1.2 billion office - the Dorp Street Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) mega-project.

Ndifuna Ukwazi said the Dorp Street PPP was a proposed high rise office block which is intended to house the Western Cape Education Department.

They said in a statement that the revelations in the documents proved the province sold the site to “generate a quick cash flow to divert into an unaffordable office mega-project”.

“Province did not have any intention of reinvesting the money in projects to help uplift poor communities, and statements to that effect amount to lies.

“These #WCLeaks bolster the already compelling case for Premier Helen Zille to #StopTheSale of Tafelberg and to reserve the site for affordable housing.”

On Sunday, Reclaim the City, an organisation that has been calling for affordable housing to be built on the site, released a statement expressing their disapproval.

They said they were told the proceeds would be spent on infrastructure in poor communities.

“Apart from the fact that there are also poor people in Sea Point who needed the site for housing, we must conclude that Province lied to us about why it sold Tafelberg.

“As with many times during the last few months, it has been shown that Province is running away from the truth. They were playing with people’s minds. They were covering up.”

The group further said they found it unacceptable the provincial government could sell public land, “land that belongs to the people of the Western Cape with the intention of using the money to build a fancy new office building”.

Reclaim the City called on Zille to provide a plan for affordable housing in the inner-city and also to investigate Grant’s “lies”.

Grant referred queries to the department’s spokesman, Byron la Hoe who said claims that Grant lied about where the money would go were inaccurate as these were made prior to the national government’s decision to introduce budget cuts across the public sector.

He added that departments were required to reschedule money, in order to meet service delivery targets.

“The money of the Tafelberg sale would go towards a possible Public-Private-Partnership to own the Dorp Street block to enable the Provincial Government to consolidate the Western Cape Education Department offices and ensure that after a period of time, they are located in owned-accommodation versus leased accommodation.

“It is generally more efficient and cost effective for the provincial government to locate its departments in owned accommodation.”

La Hoe added the Dorp Street PPP was still in the procurement phase and an updated financial model was required.

Zille’s spokesman, Michael Mpofu did not respond to repeated queries that were sent to him at the time of going to print.

yolisa.tswanya@inl.co.za

Cape Argus

The Western Cape Disaster Management Centre has received a severe weather warning from South African Weather Services.

Cape Town - The Western Cape Disaster Management (WCDM) Centre on Monday warned that parts of the province should brace for rain storms, flooding, gale force winds, flooding, and high seas with waves of up to six metres.

“WCDMC has received a severe weather warning from South African Weather Services (SAWS) for 25 to 28 July indicating that an intense cut-off low pressure system is expected,” it said.

Heavy rains were due to hit the coastal areas of the Eden and Overberg districts on Monday evening and move to the Cape metropole, the Winelands and the West Coast on Tuesday, bringing flooding to some areas.

South-easterly winds blowing up to 75 kilometres an hour were expected between Stilbaai and Table Bay on Tuesday.

The WCDM added: “High seas with wave heights in excess of six metres is expected between Cape Agulhas and Plettenberg Bay tomorrow [Tuesday].”

Anton Bredell, the MEC for Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning in the Western Cape, said the public and farmers in particular should note that parts of the Western Cape could see snow in the coming days.

“The public and small stock farmers are further advised that very cold conditions and light snowfall can be expected in some parts of the province.”

African News Agency

A month ago, armed robberies and hijackings were a common occurrence in the roads leading to Kraaifontein train station. Not anymore...

Cape Town - Instead of approaching Western Cape police commissioner Lieutenant-General Khombinkosi Jula for extra funds to fight crime at the under-resourced Kraaifontein police station, cluster commander Gerda van Niekerk did what few police stations would dare do - approach local businesses and security companies for help.

A month ago, armed robberies, vigilante attacks and hijackings were a common occurrence in the roads leading to the train station.

The route at Stasieweg, Bloekombos, Wallacedene, Scottsdene and Kleinbegin saw at least three crime-related incidents take place each day last month.

These crime-related incidents have now been brought down by 100 percent, with no incidents reported since Van Niekerk’s crime-fighting approach was implemented.

On an average day, at least nine police patrol vehicles are utilised to keep the peace, and with swift intervention from a network of well-placed role players, crime was successfully prevented in the last 30 days.

“We have, since a month ago, been the sector with the most robberies, street robberies which mostly take place in the communities with people walking to and from work. This is when we realised we needed to do something,” said Van Niekerk.

She approached nine security companies for help - Baron, Gabar, Capital, SJC, Landri, ADT, District Bassett, Chubb and Securitas Security - who were safeguarding businesses along the main roads leading to the train station, but were not co-ordinating efforts.

The Community Policing Forum (CPF) sent out invitations to the nine security companies to attend a meeting at the police station to discuss a way forward.

A WhatsApp group was formulated shortly after and Joint Operation Kraaifontein was born.

Agrimark and Shell garages, who were regular targets and in the centre of the hot-spot areas, supplied free coffee to those who patrolled.

“The security companies never criticised us or refused to drive into an area that was considered dangerous. People going to work is what is the most important to protect because they are going to work to forge a better life.

“We caught a robber on camera on the N1 and with a description we posted on the WhatsApp group and, with assistance from the role-players, he was apprehended.”

However, Van Niekerk noted some of the criminals were being driven to other parts of the area.

“We are looking to remedy that situation,” she said.

CPF chairman Sila Mawethu has been obtaining information from residents in areas spread out around the Kraaifontein area, which has also helped with police intelligence and crime-prevention.

“Our efforts are helping a lot. Residents are patrolling in the area. Some of them early in the morning and during peak hours in the evening, are walking and driving around looking for suspicious looking people,” he said.

The CPF is also in the process of creating a network of neighbourhood watches in the different sectors plagued by certain criminal elements.

“The CPF is the community representatives to police and we are doing all we can to help,” said Mawethu.

“Communities are the eyes and ears in terms of what is happening. Some of the things are happening in areas where police can’t reach so we provide information,” he said.

Manager of Total Garage, Elias Hendricks, said commuters were really feeling the effects of a zero-crime zone.

“From our side, our workers are standing together and it’s making a huge difference.

“We know our business is safe. We are glad we are able to help,” said Hendricks.

Charl du Toit, SJC Security’s owner, said: “We understand police cannot reach every area.

“We were working as a joint area to bring down the crime to help all the businesses previously affected,” he said.

* Residents who want to join Joint Operation Kraaifontein, can contact kraaifontein-SAPS@saps.org.za or call 021 980 5533.

gadeeja.abbas@inl.co.za

Cape Argus