POLOKWANE – The Ledwaba, Malebatse and Ramaloko families spoke to Review about how they were conned out of their hard earned money.
James Ledwaba, a father of two daughters, said that he was looking for someone to assist in the transportation of furniture to a new house. “I saw an advert of a man who said he is available to transport anything in and around the city. We agreed that I would pay him a portion of the money upfront and he would then drive to the house to pick up the furniture and transport it to the new house,” Ledwaba said.
Ledwaba called the man shortly after he made a payment to a friend of the man who came to collect the money but it went directly to voicemail. “I tried calling the man several times but he seemed to have disappeared with my money,”Ledwaba said.
Peter Ramaloko and Thabo Malebatse told Review they also called a number advertised at shops in the area they work in, as they needed to transport their monthly groceries on two different occasions. “I wanted to send food to my parents in a village outside the city. I called the man and we arranged for the transportation of the groceries. He came to me and said he needed payment upfront as his vehicle needed to be serviced.”
“He assured me he would return to collect the groceries after his vehicle had been serviced. I waited for the man to return and called him repeatedly but I have not seen him or my money since.”
Peter Ramaloko said the man picked him up, along with a few other commuters, and they were on their way to his family’s hometown when the man stopped the vehicle saying there was an issue with the battery. All the commuters, including Ramaloko, got out of the vehicle and proceeded to push the vehicle. “I was running and pushing the car and all of a sudden the car pulled away and the man took off with my wallet and groceries still in his vehicle,” Ramaloko explained.
He then opened a case at the Polokwane Police Station after hearing that he was not the only victim of this scam. Polokwane Police Spokesperson, WO Lesiba Ramoshaba, confirmed that there had been cases opened at the Polokwane Police Station and that police are urging people with information on the man to come forward. “Residents should refrain from paying transporters in advance,” Ramoshaba warned.
