Pensioners targeted by criminals in Port Alfred as scam incidents rise

Police in Port Alfred are warning elderly people to be aware of rising target incidents by criminals

“A lifetime of hard work can vanish in a single phone call,” was the frightening message on the 19th August 2026, at an informative, fraud awareness campaign conducted by SAPS Port Alfred, in collaboration with Absa Banking Institution.

This is the stark reality facing local seniors as the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Port Alfred reports an alarming spike in highly sophisticated imposter scams explicitly targeting the town's elderly residents. To combat this growing threat, SAPS Port Alfred Management, in a powerful collaboration with Absa Banking Institution, hosted an urgent public fraud awareness campaign on Wednesday, 19 August 2026.

The initiative, spearheaded by Community Police Officer (CPO) Warrant-Officer S Pienaar, aimed to pull back the curtain on the cruel psychological tricks used by fraudsters and equipped senior citizens with the tools needed to protect their life savings.

The crucial event drew a packed audience of more than 70 elderly community members, alongside local journalists, all gathered to learn how to defend against these invisible thieves.

"The biggest threat to our seniors is no longer a burglar at the back door; it is a deceptive voice on the telephone or a fraudulent message on a screen," said SAPS management.

"These criminals do not target our elders because they are weak, they target them because they are polite. We are here to tell our community that when a stranger demands your financial details, politeness becomes a trap.

"The comprehensive program features expert presentations from the SAPS Port Alfred Fraud Unit, the Absa Branch Management, forensic investigators, and a highly experienced private violent crime investigator who is a former SAPS detective.

The sessions are currently ongoing, focusing on real-world case studies, bank card safety, digital phishing traps, and the immediate, critical steps victims must take if they suspect they are being targeted.

SAPS urges all residents to remember that reputable banking institutions will never ask for PINs, passwords, or urgent fund transfers over the phone.

Wolmaransstad Link proud partner of Learners Classroom Wolmaransstad

To book a Learners Driver spot, contact them on: 072 303 1918 or visit them at: Rood Street NR 9 Wolmaransstad 2630

Updated: August 2026

#WolmaransstadLinkNews

The High Court has dismissed Sarah Nkatlo's application challenging her removal as Speaker from office

The High Court has dismissed former Maquassi Hills Local Municipality Speaker, Sarah Nkatlo's application challenging the council's majority decision to remove her through a Motion of No Confidence The court has also ordered each party to pay its own legal costs, meaning Sarah Nkatlo who says she is "the legitimate speaker" of Maquassi Hills has been responsible for paying her own legal fees The African National Congress member in Maquassi Hills, Sarah Nkatlo says she is still the current Council Speaker while Tshireletso Malebatsane is acting Nkatlo said, currently there are two Council Speakers in Maquassi Hills, her as the legitimate Speaker and Malebatsane as illegitimate Speaker. She says Tshireletso Malebatsane is illegitimately acting as Speaker of the Council She said, she has never been told to step down or step aside as the Speaker of the Coucil of Maquassi Hills, she says the problem began in mid-April when councillors decided...

Pastor and accomplice appeared in court for alleged tender fraud after arrests in Wolmaransstad, Potchefstroom and Mahikeng

Wolmaransstad - Three suspects saw court over alleged tender fraud. It is alleged that the owner of a construction company was lured to Mmabatho in Mahikeng with promises of securing a tender to install solar geysers The complainant reportedly met with the suspects, who allegedly posed as officials from a tender committee and the Department of Public Works. During the meeting, they demanded undue gratification from the complainant in exchange for securing the tender The complainant made payments into the suspects’ bank accounts, but later became suspicious and reported the matter to the North West Provincial Commercial Crime Investigation Unit Three suspects were traced and arrested in Potchefstroom, Wolmaransstad, Mahikeng, and Mmabatho Dingaan David Seabe (57), who is also a well known pastor in Mahikeng, Ernest Thabang Phillips (47), and Wakgale Johannes Mosiane (39) have been charged with tender fraud and appeared before court The accused were remanded...

High Court interdicts Ramaphosa's impeachment inquiry for limited period

Parliament’s impeachment committee will not be able to commence public hearings into the Phala Phala saga until the Western Cape High Court decides whether the report it is relying on should be set aside. On Friday, the court found in favour of President Cyril Ramaphosa to interdict the proceedings, in which he is facing charges over his conduct related to foreign currency being stored and, subsequently, stolen from his farm in 2020. Although the three judges hearing the matter did not agree on whether he had made a sufficient case for the interim interdict to be granted, the majority view was that the disputed report was reviewable and that the application was not moot. In a short summary of the judgment, Judge Andre le Grange noted that the bench was not in agreement that an interdict should be granted, and one of them, Judge Matthew Francis, believed an insufficient case had been made, and the application should be dismissed. However, Judge Diane Davis s...

State will produce evidence to show Mapisa-Nqakula used code words to solicit bribes from SANDF contractor

The state in the case against the former National Assembly Speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, said it will produce evidence to show that she used code words linked to her ancestral calling to solicit bribes. The former National Assembly Speaker is on trial in the Pretoria High Court on corruption charges. She is accused of soliciting and accepting bribes of R4.5 million from a South African National Defence Force (SANDF) contractor. At the time, between 2016 and 2019, Mapisa-Nqakula was Minister of Defence. During its opening address on Wednesday, the State spotlighted a PowerPoint presentation wherein images were used to demonstrate the alleged criminality. According to the State, the WhatsApp messages between Nombasa Ntsondwa-Ndlhovu, the sole director of Umkhombe Marine, and Mapisa-Nqakula will reveal that the former minister would call the contractor to her home under the guise of having an ancestral message for her before requesting a bribe. The State also claims ...

The Hawks have arrested a police official for alleged corruption and defeating the ends of justice

A 44-year-old police sergeant, attached to the Kanana Detective Branch, was arrested by members of the Hawks' Serious Corruption Investigation on Friday, 07 August 2026, for alleged corruption and defeating the ends of justice. Reports indicate that the suspect approached a prosecutor working on a matter in which illegal immigrants were arrested for unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition. The suspect allegedly told the prosecutor that the brother of the accused was willing to pay money in order for the accused not to receive a custodial sentence. The prosecutor alerted members of the Serious Corruption Investigation and an entrapment was set, which led to the arrest of the suspect after he had reportedly handed over R 10 000 to the prosecutor. The suspect appeared at the Klerksdorp Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, 11 August 2026. Wolmaransstad Link proud partner of Learners Classroom Wolmaransstad To book a Learners Driver spot, contact them on: 072 303 ...

Search This Blog