Bay businessman murdered over weekend of tragedies
● Philasande ‘Coke’ Jakavula’s killing one of several horrific incidents to rock metro
The murder of well-known Motherwell businessman Philasande “Coke” Jakavula has sent shockwaves across Nelson Mandela Bay.
Jakavula, 53, was found dead on Friday in a white Toyota Quantum minibus riddled with bullet holes on the corner of Daku Road and Salamntu Street in Kwazakhele.
Pictures of his lifeless body were shared widely on social media.
Two of his assistants were also wounded.
Jakavula’s murder was one of several incidents over a long weekend marked by bloodshed in the metro, with at least five other people also killed.
Among the victims were two teenage boys — one stabbed to death allegedly by his father and another shot, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.
In another case, a mother of two young children was shot dead.
The onslaught of violent crimes comes a week after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to the Bay to reassure residents that authorities had a handle on crime in the region.
Regarding the incident involving Jakavula, Kwazakhele police had come across the crime scene while they were patrolling.
“They stopped and found a man dead with gunshot wounds on the driver’s side,” police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said.
“A woman was found lying next to the Quantum, having sustained gunshot wounds.
“Another man had also been shot. Both were taken to hospital and, at this stage, there is no further information available.”
Janse van Rensburg said the motive for the shooting was not yet known. Jakavula owned retail business outlets in various townships in the Bay, with his most popular one in NU10, Motherwell, known as KwaCoke.
A relative, who did not want to be named, said they were shocked and had no idea what had led to the incident.
“I do not know of any threats that may have led to this and we are scared because we don’t know where it all stems from,” she said.
“That’s all I can say for now because I’m not the designated person to speak on behalf of the family.”
Jakavula’s businesses have been operating as normal since the shooting, with the exception of the Kwazakhele outlet, which has been closed temporarily.
Ward 19 councillor Gamalihleli Maqula questioned how residents could protect themselves against criminals if Jakavula could not.
“Do we fold our arms in a situation like this? If Coke couldn’t defend himself, how much more can an ordinary person in our communities?
“May his soul rest in peace and condolences to his family and friends and the business fraternity, particularly in the townships.
“This must be a wake-up call to our leaders to take action against this terrible situation which is becoming a norm within our communities,” Maqula said.
Criminals in the Motherwell area who have been terrorising schools, health facilities and residents have become so brazen that community leaders, including councillors, have established formations in a bid to root out the scourge.
Ward 55 councillor Thanduxolo Doda said Motherwell residents had been living in fear due to rampant criminal activity.
“This latest incident is sad, not just for his [Jakavula’s] family but all people who live or work in Motherwell because it has become unsafe even in your own home.”
Doda said though he commended the police visibility in the area since last week, more resources needed to be deployed.
“The police station has a concerning lack of resources and staff.
“If you call for emergency assistance, you’re often told there are no vehicles which means they [police] can’t attend to cases. The station has only three police vehicles for the entire area.”
Doda said staff in health facilities and in schools were
being terrorised by criminals who barged in and stole cellphones and other electronics.
“In the past three weeks, there’s been a group in a bakkie that has done the rounds, getting into people’s homes and robbing them. It’s so traumatising.”
Ward 59 councillor Bulelani Matenjwa said as councillors they had co-ordinated the establishment of a formation that included school principals, business owners, police, health officials and trade union representatives to work together to assist the community.
“We decided to establish a task team after we realised community safety was almost non-existent,” Matenjwa said.
“We want to get the attention of the national police commissioner and minister Bheki Cele to visit our area, and hear directly from the community how they are affected by crime, and with the co-ordinated effort from all involved we believe we can make this happen.”
Matenjwa said if nothing was done, Motherwell would soon become a dysfunctional community with no operating schools and clinics because people feared for their lives.
In Kariega, a mother was shot dead in Rosedale on Saturday evening as she was returning home from a nearby shop.
Keziah Kleinbooi, 23, died at the scene in Pelican Street while a 16-year-old girl, who had been accompanying her, was taken to hospital with gunshot wounds.
Kleinbooi was the mother of a six-month-old and threeyear-old.
Janse van Rensburg said the motive for the shooting was suspected to be gang-related.
Kleinbooi’s father, Danny,
‘The police station has a concerning lack of resources and staff. If you call for emergency assistance, you’re often told there are no vehicles which means they [police] can’t attend to cases’
was not available for comment, but her eldest sister, Kayla, said they were shocked and saddened by the incident.
“My sister was not involved with the gangs.
“She did not even have a boyfriend who perhaps could’ve been involved with such, so we really do not know what this is all about.”
Also in Kariega, on Sunday, Bryton Engelbrecht, 18, died in the town’s Provincial Hospital after being stabbed in the back of his neck.
Engelbrecht’s father has since handed himself over to the Kamesh police station.
In Booysen Park on Sunday evening, Bonginkosi Qase, 33, was found dead next to his vehicle after being shot several times.
Qase was seen parking his vehicle in Mkaliphi Street at about 7pm when gunshots were heard.
The motive is unknown. In Koyana Street, Kwazakhele, Sinethemba Mtengwana, 19, died in the early hours of yesterday after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds.
While patrolling the area, police were flagged down by members of the community who alerted them to Mtengwana, who was lying on the ground bleeding.
The motive for the shooting is also unknown.
At 8.30am yesterday, police arrested a 45-year-old man in connection with the murder of Canna Jacobs, 35, who died earlier that morning after being stabbed repeatedly in Malabar extension.
Janse van Rensburg said police had responded to a complaint of a man being stabbed in Saliehout Street just before 4am.
“Jacobs was stabbed multiple times on the right side of his chest and abdomen,” she said.
“The suspect was arrested hours later in Armstrong street in Malabar.”
Just more than a week ago, Ramaphosa, who was in the Bay, said work was being done to get a handle on crime in the metro.
“Over the years, the number of police officers has been dropping and we ’ ve boosted police levels by 30,000,” he said at the time.
“We’ve also decided to set up special liaison units in areas where crime has been manifesting itself in a bad way such as illegal mining, construction mafias and many [other] nodes.
“These will focus on the levels of criminality.
“We’ve looked at the National Security Council and criminal justice structures and are looking at how to address criminality.
“We’re confident we’ll be able to bring crime under control.
“My interaction with our people here has indicated to me the seriousness of this issue which we are addressing and will address with greater firmness,” Ramaphosa said.