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TUESDAY 17 November 2020 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | Email: post@peoplespost.co.za | Website: www.peoplespost.co.za
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People’s Post
HOUSES ON TRACK FOR DELIVERY: The R77 million housing project in Manenberg, which will deliver 587 housing opportunities, is on track for completion in mid-2022. Read story on page 3.
KENWYN
Local hailed as a hero SAMANTHA LEE-JACOBS SAMANTHA.LEE@PEOPLESPOST.CO.ZA @SAMANTHA_LEE121
A
local Kenwyn Neighbourhood Watch member has been hailed a hero after jumping straight into action to save his neighbour, injuring himself in the process. When a burglar entered through the roof of Dr Elapen Rapiti’s home while he was at his surgery in Eastridge, Mitchell’s Plain, his fears for his wife’s safety were worsened by the inability to reach the local police station or security services as a result of loadshedding. On Thursday 3 September, the local physician was alerted to the incident by his wife, Joan, who had locked herself in their bedroom. Rapiti immediately reached out to their neighbour, Ebrahiem Johaadien, who gathered available neighbourhood watch (NHW) members and, within two minuets, came to Joan’s rescue. When asked about his decision in that moment, Johaadien says: “Who can help you
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quicker than your neighbours in times of need. I work from home and when I got the call from Dr Rapiti, I was about two minutes away and I knew Mrs Rapiti was alone in the house. I called my fellow patrollers for assistance. “As patrollers, we need to secure the area. We couldn’t find him (the burglar) but noticed the trap door was open and we took a ladder, climbed up where he was then spotted in the roof at which time Lansdowne police arrived and climbed up to apprehend him. “I went outside and climbed up on the roof to prevent his escape as I saw the suspect had made a hole in the roof to gain entry into the house. I unfortunately lost my footing and fell straight down (and landed) on my feet.” Johaadien, who has been an active NHW member for the past five years, fell from a height of three metres, severely fracturing his right leg and his left heel. He was rushed to Vincent Palloti Hospital for an operation to his right leg and a second operation on his heel at Groote Schuur Hospital after his medical aid ran out. His current hospital bill and living expens-
es stand at R150 000, the amount Rapiti hopes to raise to keep him afloat until January when Johaadien can return to work. Now, with his inability to work and mounting hospital bills, Rapiti has started a Back-a-buddy campaign to raise funds for the Johaadien family. “His actions on that day saved my wife’s life,” says Rapiti. “Ebrahim is an outstanding person, who goes out of his way out of his own expense to help people in distress. He does this out of a passion to help anyone in need. He has spent over R5 000 of his own money for a bulletproof vest and a gun to protect the residents. “People like Ebrahim are seldom given the recognition for the wonderful work they do serving on the neighbourhood watch,” says Rapiti. Rapiti is calling on neighbours and friends to support the campaign to assist Johaadien in getting back on his feet. “When I heard from Ebrahim’s wife that her medical aid did not cover all the medical expenses and that the hospitals and doctors wanted their money, which was very huge, I felt duty bound to come to their rescue. Ebra-
him is the breadwinner. He was going to be bedridden for at least three months. I felt that the least I could do, out of gratitude to him for coming to my wife’s rescue, was to raise funds to settle his bills,” he says. Johaadien is self-employed as the cofounder of a design and construction company. During the lockdown, they were unable to work, with jobs having picked up ahead of the accident. He is to be off his feet until at least January to allow his leg and foot to heal. “He goes out of his way to save anyone in distress. Crime is on the rise because of the Covid-19 (pandemic) and, fortunately, we have a very effective neighbourhood watch, which plays a significant role in keeping crime down,” says Rapiti. Johaadien thanked those who have already assisted them, such as members of the NHW, a local physiotherapist and the Rapiti family and residents who have checked in on him and his family. V To donate, visit https://www.backabuddy.co.za/ebrahim-jordien.
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