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The Citizen
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Derelict Covid shelter an eyesore, threatens tourism, property values
RESIDENTS of North Beach near the Jewish Shelter are increasingly in fear of the unknown. They are witnessing the state of the dwelling deteriorating each day, posing threats of criminal activities, open fires and unwarranted foot traffic. The now-unsightly shelter was erected in 2020, during Covid19, to house the homeless. Currently 325 male inhabitants occupy 11 derelict tents, on the corner of Sylvester Ntuli Street and Molyneux Road. The original number of dwellers was half of what the shelter community is currently. A resident of one of the nearby flats lamented, 'This area is supposed to be a prime area for residents and tourists. The situation is getting out of hand, and we are really concerned. Apart from the decline of property values, we witness all sorts of suspicious characters around the shelter, drugs and alcohol use and unsanitary behaviour. People are flooding in daily.' Another resident echoed the sentiment, 'Looking outside the window has become an eyesore. At night, the unpleasing behaviour is worse. We understand and empathise with the homeless, however it is evident that the City is not playing its part in regulating and keeping the area under control. They will never go back, they need housing also, and the State must help. Until today we are asking where the Covid money is. Also Read: Morning homeless raid in North Beach brings hope to residents 'We need a way forward; the government can't just throw people in a place like this; it is unsanitary, totally inhumane, and the residents are very unhappy. You can't have people living in this kind of tents for five years.' DA PR councillor in Ward 26, Charmaine Sewshanker highlighted, 'The placement of a homeless shelter near hotels, tourist attractions and prime residential properties was a very contentious issue and not well thought out by the municipality. Hotel owners, tourists, nearby businesses and residents have raised concern about the shelter's effect on tourism, revenue and safety.' She added, 'Concerns about crime, noise, drugs and disruptions have been raised with Metro Police and city officials on numerous occasions. I do not want to criminalise the homeless but a homeless shelter attracting prostitutes and drug users is compromising the safety of the entire beachfront area.' She suggested that the city must fix up a few of the numerous abandoned buildings in the area for the homeless where they are screened and offered much needed social development support. Mahomed Essa, Beach Patrol Unit North Beach CPF chairperson, recognises the social challenges which 'cannot continue unchecked'. Also Read: Community leaders call for empathy towards homeless 'We have received growing concerns from the community regarding the Covid shelter behind Grosvenor. While the shelter was intended as a humanitarian response, its current state has raised serious safety and security issues, including alleged criminal activity, open fires, and overcrowding. 'As the North Beach CPF, our priority is community safety in partnership with SAPS and other stakeholders. The community is under strain, and our role is to ensure that everyone, residents and vulnerable groups alike, is protected through structured, lawful, and humane interventions. We are engaging the relevant authorities to urgently assess the situation, enforce by-laws, and ensure that sustainable and lawful solutions are implemented. Public safety cannot be compromised,' Essa asserted. For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here
The South African
21-07-2025
- The South African
Cape Town's smash-and-grab hotspots: Where to look out for
New data from Cape Town's Metro Police CCTV network shows a clear pattern in where and when smash-and-grab criminals strike, and the numbers are rising. According to the City of Cape Town, between July 2024 and May 2025, 215 smash-and-grab incidents were recorded via the City's CCTV system. While exact numbers are likely higher, many incidents go unreported or occur outside the network's coverage, the available data points to a few areas that consistently emerge as danger zones. The most dangerous stretch, according to the data, is the corridor between Bonteheuwel and Langa, a long-time hotspot. But recent months have seen a shift. As law enforcement pressure grows in certain zones, criminals are relocating, and other intersections and suburbs are becoming increasingly active. Here are the other major hotspots in Cape Town based on incident data and reports to the Public Emergency Communication Centre: Leonsdale Beaconvale Foreshore Elsies River Industria Epping Industria Milnerton Philippi Many of these locations are clustered in the same general zones, making targeted enforcement more effective, but also more challenging as criminals adapt. The timing of these crimes isn't random. Most incidents happen during late afternoons and early evenings, especially over weekends. According to Alderman JP Smith, the City of Cape Town's Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, this is when motorists are tired, distracted, or relaxed, and valuables are often visible on seats after shopping trips or errands. 'These opportunistic criminals strike when people are perhaps less vigilant after a long day at work or stuck in peak-hour traffic,' Alderman Smith noted. The City also provided some tips to reduce the risk of a smash-and-grab incident. These include: Keeping valuables out of sight and not on seats inside the vehicle – putting them in the boot or underneath the seat, making sure it's not visible Locking all doors and closing windows Being cautious, vigilant, and aware of your surroundings Being wary of people loitering about at traffic lights or intersections Being aware of people attempting to give you pamphlets or sell you goods, as not all are legitimate vendors. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Congressman Cory Mills faces eviction from D.C. penthouse, owes $85,000, landlord says
U.S. Rep. Cory Mills' landlord is trying to evict him from his nearly $21,000-per-month Washington, D.C., penthouse near the National Mall, according to court documents. Mills, a pro-Donald Trump Republican who has represented southern Volusia and Seminole counties in Congress for two terms, got behind in his payments within the first two months of leasing the home in 2023, and now owes more than $85,000, according to documents filed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia by Parcel 47F LLC, the landlord, and Bozzuto Management Co. Journalist Roger Sollenberger first reported the court filing on the social media site X. Payment links not provided? Mills responded by attacking the reporter and sharing two emails dated June 17 and July 3, where he was "repeatedly asking for payment links" so he could pay what's owed. Mills, who did not respond to a request for comment from The News-Journal, suggested in his X post that he was getting an Error Code 108 message, which suggested either an issue with the Windows Installer Service or bank connectivity problems. "Facts are a finicky thing," Mills posted, "but wouldn't expect you (Sollenberger) to be anything other than a biased hack!" The congressman also joined a July 14 live chat on X Spaces hosted by David Pollack, an attorney and conservative media commentator, taking additional shots at the media and promising to return to his "fiery" self. "I was told that, look, you can't be too fiery in Congress, so I've tried to even when I was being slandered and defamed and all this nonsense, tried to take a little bit of a back seat approach and let the teams handle it, make sure that I rise above it, but I'm kind of at a f--- around, find out mode now, and I'm going to go back to the way I was when I ran for office," Mills said. Timing of attempted payments questioned Mills' post and comments on X Spaces did not explain why he hadn't paid his rent for months prior to his June and July attempts, or why he incurred a total of nearly $15,000 in late fees between September 2023 and January 2025, when he was given a termination date. "You can avoid legal action by paying the balance of rent or completing your move-out and returning keys by the termination date," read a letter posted on the congressman's door on Jan. 27, court records show. Assault allegation made against Mills Less than a month later, on Feb. 19, Metropolitan Police in Washington questioned Mills at the same penthouse, where they had been called about a simple assault allegation that occurred at a home he shared with a woman who is not his wife. Lee Lepe, a public information officer with the Metro Police, said in an email on July 15 that a warrant had been submitted to the U.S. Attorney's Office, but that it was returned unsigned. Metro Police are conducting an ongoing internal investigation into the matter, Lepe said. Mills has denied wrongdoing in the assault case, and his girlfriend previously told The News-Journal there was no "physical altercation." House ethics investigation Mills is also facing a House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations that he benefited from contracts with the federal government while a congressman. Documents filed by the committee suggest Mills omitted or misrepresented information in his financial disclosure statements and accepted excessive contributions in the form of personal loans and contributions that may not have come from his personal funds. Mills also obtained in-kind contributions of credit "not extended in the ordinary course of business," the ethics records state. The Office of Congressional Ethics reported Mills was not cooperative with its investigation last fall. The House Ethics Committee is continuing its review of the matter. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Landlord: U.S. Rep. Cory Mills of Florida faces eviction, owes $85,000 Solve the daily Crossword
The Herald
15-07-2025
- The Herald
Woman arrested during violent service delivery protests in Wells Estate
A Gqeberha woman will appear in court soon on a host of charges including public violence and arson after a violent protest in Well Estate resulted in the torching of a bus and panel van, as well as an attempt to burn the councillor's office. Polices spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said the 48-year-old was arrested on Tuesday during a two-day service delivery protest in the area. She was detained on charges in terms of the Criminal Matters Amendment Act 18/2015 sec 3 (a)(b) relating to damage to infrastructure and public violence, the National Road Traffic Act 93/1996 regulation 319(1) for hindering or obstructing traffic on a public road and regulation 319(2) for placing an object on a road that could endanger traffic, arson, the Explosives Act 26/1956 (petrol bombs sec 28) and malicious damage to property. 'The protests started on Monday within the Wells Estate community at Rabie Village and this [Tuesday] morning at about 5.15am,' Janse van Rensburg said. 'It started again when members of the community allegedly threw a petrol bomb towards the councillor's office.' She said the fire was extinguished quickly and there was no damage to the office. 'At about 6am, the community members started burning tyres and rubbish in front of the multipurpose hall and a female suspect was arrested by the Metro police. 'At about 6.40am, in Anvuyo Street, Wells Estate, the community of Rabie village torched a bus and a panel van.' Janse van Rensburg said no-one was injured and the SAPS was monitoring the situation. 'Public Order Police stabilised the situation using rubber bullets and stun grenades. 'The situation is calm, and Public Order Police members will remain in the area. 'Motorists are urged to be cautious when travelling in Wells Estate, or to make use of alternative routes.' Wells Estate Ward 60 councillor Thembinkosi Mafana could not be reached for comment. The Herald
The Citizen
15-07-2025
- The Citizen
Lonehill's jobseekers seek a little compassion
Just last week, Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers once again descended on the familiar stretch of Sunrise Boulevard in Lonehill, removing a group of jobseekers who have become a regular sight at the intersection. The move, though in line with municipal by-laws that prohibit informal jobseeking on roadsides, has stirred a deeper, more complex story. One rarely told, not of defiance, but of desperation to provide for their families. A group of five men, most originally from Zimbabwe, gather at the road each day, not for trouble, but for hope, carrying toolboxes, placards that say 'electrician available' or 'builder looking for work', and the weight of their pasts and futures alike. One of them, who agreed to speak on behalf of the group, is Godfrey Moyo. He's been standing at this very intersection since 2006. For nearly two decades, this road has been his link to survival. Also read: JMPD clears illegal settlers after long community push in Fourways 'We came to South Africa for greener pastures,' Moyo said, 'to support our families because it's very hard in Zimbabwe. If things were better back home, we wouldn't leave.' All five men requested to remain anonymous, except Moyo, who gave permission to be named as a representative. Their fear is not just of police, but of being seen, judged, or misunderstood in the name of survival. Moyo and his peers said they hold valid passports but no work permits, an omission that has kept them on the fringes of formal employment. He said, it's not that they don't want the papers, they said they simply cannot afford them. 'It's my wish that I can get the work permit, but I don't have the money. For me to even get the passport, I had to make means, I had to work extra hard. It is also expensive. A passport is about R3 500 in Zimbabwe, compared to South Africa where it is just around R500.' Also read: Law vs livelihood: JMPD removes informal traders from Winnie Mandela Drive Their presence at the intersection has long sparked complaints from nearby residents and businesses, but, for the men, it's not about being defiant; it's about surviving. 'When the Metro Police come, they take our tools. That's what hurts us. We don't even get a receipt or a way to get them back. To buy a drill or a hammer takes money. Now, we sit here with nothing.' He admits that some days they sit in fear. The recent JMPD operation was chaotic Moyo said. 'Everyone ran in different directions, trying to escape arrest, or having what little they have taken from them. We were just trying to make an honest living.' When asked why they don't try applying for jobs online, or by submitting CVs, Moyo said it's not that simple. 'Where do I even send a CV? Who's going to hire someone without papers? That's why we stand here. This is our only way.' Also read: Massive rush of enrolments for SAPS training programme Moyo, and the others, say they are not asking for handouts, only compassion. 'We are human beings too. We're not here to cause trouble. We're just trying to feed our families.' Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates and inspiration! Have a story idea? We'd love to hear from you – join our WhatsApp group and share your thoughts! At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
