News of yesteryear
These were some of the local stories making headlines in years gone by.
This week we look back at the Herald of November 25, 2011:
• Blast of justice
A section of the Brakpan CBD was without power on Thursday, last week, after a man tried to steal copper components from a substation along Voortrekker Road.
The man’s attempt resulted in an explosion and he sustained serious burns to his face, arms and upper body.
He was being treated by paramedics in the back of a police van when the Herald arrived on the scene at about 1.20pm.
The substation is situated next to the old Receiver of Revenue building along Voortrekker Road.
A disgruntled business owner complained that this was the second day in a row that the streets had been without power.
Also read: Zero tolerance towards electricity theft
“I was sending an email to the Brakpan customer care centre manager to complain about the situation when the electricity went off again,” said the woman.
“It was off yesterday because someone was fiddling with the substation.
“The metro needs to do something about this.”
Graffiti adorns the walls of the substation and the floor is awash with trash and human faeces.
The injured man, who will be charged with theft, was transported to the Far East Rand Hospital.
By Friday morning, the electricity supply had been restored and metro employees were hard at work cleaning and securing the buiding.
• Bedrieërs is blykbaar volop
Dit wil voorkom asof daar meer as een bedrieër in die dorp is wat mense met slim praatjies uit hulle geld bedrieg.
Die Herald het verlede week berig oor ’n jong man wat al telkemale op niksvermoedende mense toegeslaan het en met ’n paar rand in die sak weggekom het.
’n 41-jarige vrou van Brakpan-sentraal het onlangs ’n soortgelyke stel afgetrap, maar sy is deur ’n vrou ingedoen.
Die inwoner, van Kitzingerlaan, vertel dat ’n netjies en goedversorgde vrou vroeër die maand, so teen 9nm, by haar huis aangeklop het.
“Die vrou was erg onsteld en het gesê dat iemand haar motorruit stukkend geslaan het en haar handsak gegryp het,” het die vrou vertel.
“Sy was baie oortuigend en ek het selfs vir haar koffie gemaak.
“Sy het my foon gebruik om kwansuis ’n sleutelmaker te skakel, sodat sy sleutels kon kry om weer by haar woning in te kom.
“Sy het aangedui dat sy R300 sou nodig hê vir die man se dienste.
“Ek het net R250 by my gehad en dit aan haar oorhandig voordat sy daar weg is.
“Die volgende oggend was sy weer terug by my huis en het gesê dat sy die voorval by die polisie aangemeld het, maar dat sy nie dadelik toegang tot die geld in haar bank het nie.
“Sy het nog R400 gevra om haar motorruit te laat herstel.
“Ek was dom genoeg om vir haar R500 te gee en sy was baie dankbaar, met vele beloftes dat sy die volgende dag die geld sou terugbring.
“Dit was natuurlik die laaste sien van haar en my R750.
“Die vrou het eerlik en opreg voorgekom.
“Sy het paniekerig gelyk en ek het nie vir ’n oomblik daaraan gedink dat sy besig was om my met ’n slap riem te vang nie.”
Also read: Be careful of scammers posing as metro officials
• Don’t fall for job scam
A false advert offering various jobs at Carnival City in return for payment was recently placed in the media by unknown persons.
The casino has appealed to jobseekers not to pay any money to anyone claiming to represent Carnival City.
The false advertisement states that a number of positions are available at the casino, from cashiers to managers and even call centre agents.
The fraudsters then request a fee of R150 on application, and a further R600 for an “assessment”.
Carnival City also appeals to anyone who sees such an advert to report it to their nearest police station.
A case has been opened with the SAPS Commercial Crime Branch.
Have a story?
Contact the newsroom by emailing: Thelma Koorts (editor) brakpanherald@caxton.co.za
or Stacy Slatter (news editor) stacys@caxton.co.za
or Miné Fourie (journalist) minev@caxton.co.za
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