Last Friday was one of the busiest days of the month as it was payday for pensioners and other welfare grant recipients.
Usually this also means that pickpockets, illegal gamblers and other greedy law breakers take the chance to prey on unsuspecting elderly people and those who fall easily for their tricks.
Last Friday was one of the busiest days of the month as it was payday for pensioners and other welfare grant recipients.
Usually this also means that pickpockets, illegal gamblers and other greedy law breakers take the chance to prey on unsuspecting elderly people and those who fall easily for their tricks.
For the past few years Grahamstown has been plagued by illegal street gamblers who trick people into wasting large sums of money by participating in their so-called games. These illegal gamblers usually stand near Lewis Stores in High Street and KFC in Bathurst Street.
There are different kinds of street gambling. Some people use dice while others use three cups or necklaces. They usually work in groups. Some members of the team pretend to be interested in the game, so they participate by ‘betting’ with R50 and R100 notes, therefore urging members of the public to bet more. However, when you decide to play, you lose.
Last Friday Lady Luck turned her back on two of the tricksters when they were caught red-handed by members of the Unemployed People’s Movement and Community Policing Forum members, Mohammed Moorad and Ayanda Kota.
The first man was accosted by Moorad and Kota and police were called to arrest him. "This is the same guy that was arrested for street gambling but he lied to the police and said he is not involved and was released. We caught him red-handed now," said Kota. “These people are not even from Grahamstown but they are here to corrupt the city.”
