The two men whose identity documents were discovered last week in Samora Machel Street and handed in at the Middelburg Observer this morning have both come forward to reclaim them.

Victor Nunes from Nelspruit was the first to contact the newspaper after recognising his documents.

Wallet stolen during business visit to Middelburg

Nunes said he was in Middelburg to see clients when his wallet, containing his ID book, driver’s licence, and several bank cards, was stolen.

He explained that he had stopped at a filling station to show a client something at the back of his vehicle. On his way back to Nelspruit, he noticed that the front passenger door was not properly closed.
“I immediately knew something was wrong,” he said. When he checked the cab of his vehicle, his wallet was gone.

While he attempted to stop all his bank cards from various banks, criminals were already using them.
“It must have been more than one person, because transactions went off simultaneously at different places like beauty salons and shebeens. They were all small amounts, but many,” he said. Approximately R3 000 was spent before he managed to block the cards.

Although relieved that his ID book and driver’s licence were recovered, Nunes had already applied for a replacement licence. A friend in Middelburg collected the documents from the Observer’s offices on his behalf.

Taxi driver’s phone snatched during scam

Shortly after Nunes’ interview, Amos Jiyane arrived at the Observer offices to claim his ID card and driver’s licence.

Jiyane, a local taxi driver, said his phone, containing his ID and driver’s licence in the cellphone pocket, was stolen on Tuesday.

He had parked to wait for passengers when a man approached him, begging to charge his phone in the taxi. After Jiyane agreed, the man then asked if he could use Jiyane’s phone to make a call.
“The moment I handed him my phone, he grabbed both phones and ran,” he said.

Jiyane said he is delighted to have his documents returned, even though his phone remains missing.

Thank you to Good Samaritan

Both men expressed gratitude to the Good Samaritan, André Coetzee, who found the cards near the steps leading down to Weeber Street and handed them in at the Middelburg Observer.