News – Page 5

Nowhere to Swim in Komani This Christmas

The Rec Swimming Pool in Top Town has not been used for years.

Both Komani’s public swimming pools, built decades ago, have fallen into disrepair.

The Rec Swimming Pool in Top Town used to be a vibrant gathering place for families and young people, but residents say it has declined since 2015.

The pool’s facilities have cracked walls and broken windows. The water is green. Residents say the abandoned site is a hiding place for drug users and criminals.

At the end of November, non-profit organisation Clean Queenstown led a clean-up of the pool area together with the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality, cutting grass and removing rubbish.

Municipal spokesperson Lonwabo Kowa said the municipality had previously planned to establish a public-private partnership to maintain the facility.

A notice was published last year inviting interested parties to submit proposals, but the proposals did not meet the municipality’s objectives, said Kowa. The municipality is now developing a plan to resuscitate the pool and will apply for funding.

Dumpy Adams Swimming Pool is in disrepair, despite the entire sports facility having been renovated in 2009.

The Dumpy Adams Swimming Pool in Victoria Park is in even worse condition. Residents told GroundUp that it has not been used since at least 2017.

The pool forms part of sports grounds, which were once a hub for events. The soccer and cricket facilities are no longer used, and the pool is empty. Windows are broken, toilets vandalised, and basins and seats at the toilets are damaged. This is despite the entire facility having been renovated in 2009.

A fire was burning at the entrance, which two boys playing with rubbish said was started by copper thieves to burn wires.

Kowa said site assessments revealed critical infrastructure failures and that “the primary cause is vandalism and theft”.

He added that the municipality is preparing a detailed costing framework to apply for funding in early 2026.

Clean Queenstown chairperson Simankele Vanqa said both swimming pools were well-maintained and lively in earlier years. “People came here to relax and to swim, and there were grandstands for events. Now, all of that is gone,” he said.

Vanqa said he started Clean Queenstown out of frustration with the state of the town.

“This is a town we used to be proud of, but now almost everything is damaged or vandalised. Facilities like the Queenstown Art Centre were closed during covid and never reopened and are now vandalised. The town hall was burnt down and has not been fixed. There are many abandoned facilities, and we are trying to clean them.”

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Municipality Silent on Why It Can’t Provide Electricity

Residents of 11 informal settlements held a public meeting in Sikhweyiya community hall, Komani, last week.

There are 11 informal settlements in Mlungisi township in Komani, Eastern Cape. None have electricity. The oldest, Kwanca, was formed in the 1990s. The newest, eMabhangalweni, has about 500 households, while Marikana informal settlement has about 1,000 shacks, only three taps, and no toilets.

After protests last month, about 200 residents from all 11 settlements held a public meeting at the Sikhweyiya community hall last week. They expected a written response from the municipality to their memorandum of demands, which included a clear plan and timeline for electrification. They also want serviced stands with water and toilets while they wait for RDP houses.

But officials from the Enoch Mgijima Local Municipality did not arrive. Residents sang and waited. Around 11:30am, they went to look for municipal human settlements head Ongama Adonisi.

Community leader Baxolele Bango said it was disappointing that the officials residents most wanted to see had not come. He said Mayor Madoda Papiyana should apologise for the municipality’s failure to provide basic services.

Lelethu Faku lost her home in the 2023 floods. She said that after the municipality placed flood victims in emergency accommodation, no officials had came to check on them. “Houses are leaking, walls are broken, including the floors,” she said.

Monica Fula, now in her 50s, said she had been living without services for 24 years. “I left Joe Slovo due to a lack of services, but in Marikana things are worse. There’s nothing. What we want now is serviced sites. We no longer care about bricks because we know they will take forever.”

Ward committee member Silvia Mabhuvu, from Cemetery informal settlement, said: “At home we are ten people sharing a three-room shack. Old people are dying while they wait for houses.”

She said that when she takes the ward committee’s list of people awaiting houses to the municipality for verification, “we are always told there are network issues”.

“We don’t even know if we appear on a database or not,” she said.

Adonisi said the New Rathwick housing project, which will build 3,000 houses, will start in March. Priority would be given to “child-headed households, military veterans and backyard dwellers”.

He advised residents to work with their ward councillors, but he was shouted down by people saying their councillors had failed them.

Municipal spokesperson Lonwabo Kowa has not yet responded to our questions.

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Don’t Let Black Friday Turn Your Bank Account RED: A Guide to Avoiding Online Scams

Don’t Race to the ‘Buy Now’ button
Simple way to create a Bulletproof password
Black Friday can end in disaster – here’s how to avoid that

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the entire festive shopping season are a golden opportunity for savvy shoppers to grab incredible deals. Unfortunately, they’re also a prime hunting ground for scammers, phishers, and other online miscreants looking to exploit the rush and excitement. As you navigate the digital aisles, staying vigilant is your best defence.

Here’s how to protect yourself and ensure your Black Friday savings don’t become a scammer’s gain.

Be Wary of “Too Good to Be True” Deals

This is the golden rule of online shopping. If a deal seems impossibly good, it probably is. Scammers often dangle unbelievably low prices on high-demand items to lure victims.

Action: If an item is listed significantly below its market value across other retailers, proceed with extreme caution. Research the seller independently.

Scrutinize Emails and SMSes: Phishing is Rampant

During peak shopping seasons, your inbox and phone will be flooded with promotional messages. Phishers mimic legitimate brands to trick you into revealing personal information or clicking malicious links.

Check the Sender: Look closely at the “From” address. It should match the official domain of the company (e.g., support@amazon.com, not amazon-deals@gmail.com). Slight misspellings are a common tactic (amaz0n.com vs amazon.com).

Hover Over Links (Don’t Click!): Before clicking any link, hover your mouse over it (on desktop) or long-press it (on mobile) to see the actual URL. If it doesn’t match the expected website, it’s likely a scam.

Look for Red Flags: Generic greetings (“Dear Customer”), poor grammar, spelling mistakes, and a sense of urgency (“Act now or lose out!”) are classic phishing indicators.

Go Directly to the Source: If an email announces an amazing deal, don’t click the link. Instead, open your browser and type the retailer’s official URL directly (e.g., www.stratlec.co.za) to verify the offer.

Verify Websites: Is it Legitimate or a Look-alike?

Fake websites are designed to steal your payment information or deliver counterfeit goods.

Check the URL: Ensure the website address is correct (e.g., www.woolworths.co.za, not woolworths-store.co). Look for https:// at the beginning, indicating a secure connection (though even scam sites can have this now).

Look for the Padlock Icon: A padlock symbol in the browser’s address bar indicates an SSL certificate, meaning your connection is encrypted. However, this alone doesn’t guarantee the site is legitimate.

Website Quality: Assess the site’s overall quality. Poor design, low-resolution images, broken links, and bad grammar are red flags.

Contact Information: Legitimate sites will have clear contact information (phone number, physical address, email). Test them if unsure.

Use Secure Payment Methods

How you pay can make a big difference in your protection if a scam occurs.

Credit Cards: Credit cards often offer strong fraud protection and chargeback options, allowing you to dispute unauthorized or fraudulent transactions.

Reputable Payment Gateways: Use trusted gateways like PayPal, PayFast, or Peach Payments. Avoid direct bank transfers, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency payments to unknown sellers, as these are almost impossible to reverse.

Avoid Saving Card Details (Unless Highly Trusted): While convenient, saving card details on less-frequented or new websites increases your risk if their security is breached.

Protect Your Personal Information

Be stingy with the information you share online.

Only Provide Necessary Information: Legitimate retailers only need information relevant to your purchase and shipping. Be suspicious if they ask for your ID number, bank account details (beyond payment for the transaction), or other sensitive data unnecessarily.

Strong, Unique Passwords: Use strong, unique passwords for each online shopping account. Consider a password manager.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA wherever possible (e.g., for banking apps, email, and major shopping accounts). This adds an extra layer of security.

Create a Long Password for EACH Web Site Account – A Bulletproof method

Suggestion – choose a core set of letters, number and special characters as a BASE for your password, e.g. TwoWords!@#456, then apply a standard set of rules based on the web site that you find yourself on, e.g. Insert web site name after the exclamation mark AND the domain identifier at the end – using this method your password for Fraud Alert will be: TwoWordsFraudAlert!@#456.co.za. And there you have an easy to remember long password that allows you to have a UNIQUE Password for EVERY web site you visit.

In that way you also have an audit trail to see where a password leak occurred.

Be Cautious with Public Wi-Fi

Avoid Sensitive Transactions: Public Wi-Fi networks (coffee shops, malls) are often unsecured, making it easier for criminals to intercept your data. Avoid making purchases or accessing banking details on public Wi-Fi.

Use a VPN: If you must use public Wi-Fi, use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to encrypt your connection.

Monitor Your Bank Statements

Regular Checks: Keep a close eye on your bank and credit card statements during and after the Black Friday period.

Report Suspicious Activity: Report any unauthorized or suspicious transactions to your bank immediately.

Be Skeptical of Social Media Ads

Scammers frequently use social media platforms to promote fake deals.

Research the Seller: Don’t blindly trust an ad because it appears in your feed. Click on the seller’s profile and check for legitimacy (age of account, reviews, follower engagement, professional content).

Look for Reviews: Search for reviews of the company or product outside of the social media platform.

Black Friday offers incredible opportunities, but a little extra caution goes a long way. By being vigilant, skeptical, and following these guidelines, you can enjoy the thrill of securing great deals without falling prey to online scammers. Happy (and safe) shopping!