What may be a priceless possession to one, is unappreciated scrap for loose change to another.
A Newlands man is distraught after losing his livelihood and connection to life-sustaining mobility. Isak van Niekerk was the owner of a white 1400 Nissan Champ that served as a set wheels to get to and from employment to perform odd jobs in a bid to put some food on the table. This most cherished of possessions was stolen outside his Market Street place of residence in early July.
Stolen for the third time in recent memory, Sakkie searched the suburb first before reporting the matter to police. Unable to locate the vehicle, he sought assistance from private security who informed him that it had been found. However, conflicting information left him frustrated, unable to pin down who had removed the vehicle nor which policing body was responsible.
After back and forth trips on foot and in public transport to various impounds, Sakkie’s desperate search yielded no results. Not giving up hope and assisted by friends and family, the vehicle was eventually located at a scrapyard on Brown Road. Forced to endure any vehicle owner’s worst nightmare, Sakkie discovered his Nissan Champ had been cut into pieces and sold as scrap.
Sakkie was able to obtain a copy of the identification document used by the man who sold the vehicle to the scrapyard, yet despite handing this document to police, no progress has been confirmed. The document has the seller’s name and address written on it, yet Sophiatown police and Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) are yet to provide answers as to how the situation unravelled the way it has.
Sakkie lives alone with his sister, and this incident has been a hammer blow to an already battered man. He lost his son several years ago, got divorced, lost his business due to health reasons, and has now been stripped of his only lifeline. Since the incident, family have started a BackaBuddy campaign, and should anyone be able to assist the mechanic and handyman, they can visit www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/my-dad-lost-his-only-car-only-possesiond.
