Armed men claiming to install fibre optics invade home in Jacqueline Drive

Four men – one armed with a pistol and another carrying a crowbar – invaded a house in Ballito this morning under the pretence of installing fibre optic cables.

The tenant, who did not wish to be named, told The Courier that she was called over her wall by an unfamiliar man while she was alone at home. The man handed her a letter purporting to be from Openserve, a division of Telkom SA, stating that in order to install fibre optic cables, they needed access to the property. While the tenant was reading the letter inside, another man jumped over the wall and opened the electric gate from the motor’s box.

The owner of the property, Gill Martini, said that the men even had a bakkie with Openserve branding on the side. They then threatened the tenant, brandishing a gun in her face.

“They forced me into the house and told me to lie down and sleep,” the traumatised tenant said.

The gang then broke open an interleading door between the tenant’s flat and the holiday house on the property.

“When they forced open the interleading door the alarm went off and they immediately fled, snatching our tenant’s hand bag on the way out,” said Martini’s daughter, Claudia.

This is the second incident of an armed gang targeting houses when only one woman is alone at home in two days. Yesterday morning just before 11am a gang of men stormed into a house in Salt Rock while the domestic worker was alone on the property.

This is the letter the men were carrying:

The letter mentions a ‘Sandile’ who works for Vuka Enterprises – an agent of Openserve – and provides his number.

Sandile Mkhize directed The Courier to contact Raveen Sookoo, a contract representative for Openserve. Sookoo confirmed that they do in fact have teams in Ballito at the moment installing fibre optic cables.

“Somehow, somebody got hold of an old introduction letter from us and used it to gain access to this property. Our employees will always have a small laminated identity card on them – usually in their reflective vests.”

If you are approached by a stranger claiming to work for Openserve who needs access to your property – confirm their identity with Sookoo by sending an email to raveens@openserve.co.za or sokoor@telkomsa.co.za or you can call him at 081 353 9802.

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