Fears residents duped of cash
Roofing contractor allegedly pocketed R32 000
THE dream of having a multi-purpose community centre in the heart of Kwazakhele, Port Elizabeth, for residents to conduct burials and church services has hit a snag after a contractor allegedly duped beneficiaries out of R32 000.
PM Express owner Dewald Stander was allegedly paid the money to have his company put up the roof of the structure in Emakhaleni, Kwazakhele.
The community is outraged over Stander and his company disappearing after he allegedly pocketed the money without doing the work.
When contacted, both his phones were off and nothing was clear with regard to PM Express as a company.
The funds were raised mainly through contributions from people keen to have a community centre that would have given them a sense of ownership, resident Mpumelelo James said.
James was part of a team that negotiated prices with Stander for the erection of the roof. They deposited the money into his account.
“The community can no longer have faith in us. They won’t heed the appeal we make regarding contributions for future projects. They feel cheated of their hard-earned cash. We are disappointed.
“They want this project completed, but we cannot proceed. Stander is nowhere to be found,” he said.
Residents said the multi-purpose community structure, situated between Bazi and Ngwendu streets, would have been ideal for funeral services, soup kitchens and church services.
The idea began when the residents, through Reach-out in Faith Community Church, approached Dedrick Hendrick of Easy Crete to build a concrete slab.When he completed the job, Hendrick recommended Stander to erect the rooftop.
Stander went to the site and discussed putting up the roof during a private meeting and later informed Hendrick that they would do the job.
“I saw him in Kragga Kamma and asked him when was he going to start with the roof.
“He claimed he had and gave me a new contact number. When I went there [to the site] the following day nothing had been done and when I tried to call him on the number, it wasn’t working.
“I am not happy with him. What he has done is not nice,” Hendrick said.
Stander also runs a refuse removal company and does odd jobs such as garden refuse removal.
James said they had been to Colchester, where Stander’s mother Teresa Edwards lives, but were informed he no longer lived there.
“We got a Rhodes Street, Mount Pleasant, address but were informed Stander knew that particular address simply because he did some work at that house. He never resided at that property. We need help desperately,” James said.
When contacted by The Herald, Edwards said she last saw her son at the beginning of the year but would tell him the newspaper was looking for him.
Ten minutes after the call to Edwards, Stander phoned The Herald and pleaded for the story not to be published.
“I promise to start work on Wednesday and if I do not finish by Friday, I will refund them. If I do not do that, then it means I am stealing from the people,” Stander said.
Asked why it had taken him so long to put up the roof, Stander said he wanted to erect poles because the concrete slab was not properly done. He said he also had to attend to other things.
Community leader Ntobeko Peter said he did not trust Stander to return to put up the roof, saying they wanted their money back instead.
“Previously he has made several promises to return but that has never happened. We no longer need his services. He must refund our monies.”