PORT Alfred police are investigating animal cruelty charges after the wife of a prominent local property developer was allegedly spotted tormenting dogs with a tazer gun in an upmarket eco-estate.
In a bizarre twist, police spokesman Lieutenant Luvuyo Mjekula yesterday confirmed they were also investigating charges of alleged trespassing and intimidation against a policeman who went to question Annie de Wet Steyn – wife of developer Justin de Wet Steyn – about the allegations.
“We are investigating both incidents and the dockets will be sent to the director of public prosecutions for a decision soon,” Mjekula said.
Worried Riverview Waterfront Estate residents Vanessa McKay and her husband Gary yesterday alleged they had endured years of verbal abuse, threats and even a high court challenge to try and get them to remove their dogs from the eco-estate on the banks of the Kowie River.
“It has become very ugly, our lives have become a living hell,” McKay said.
The mother of three young children claimed her 10-year-old son Oliver had even been left traumatised after De Wet Steyn allegedly phoned their house claiming their two dogs, Phoebe and Helix, were roaming the estate.
“She was shouting and screaming so loud down the phone that our two dogs were outside our property causing ‘sh*t’ that my children heard it.
“Oliver was petrified.”
A tightlipped De Wet Steyn yesterday refused to comment on allegations she had launched a years-long campaign against the McKays to get them to remove the dogs from the estate. She referred the Daily Dispatch to the deputy chairman of the Riverview Waterfront Estate’s homeowners’ association Richard Verschoor for comment.
Accusing the McKays of launching a vendetta against the estate and De Wet Steyn, Verschoor declined to elaborate saying he did not want to prejudice the police investigation.
However, he said the allegations were a “fabrication” before warning the Dispatch not to publish anything slanderous about the homeowners’ association.
McKay said she had pressed charges of animal cruelty against De Wet Steyn two weeks ago.
“She was outside our property provoking them with a tazer.
“She is trying to make our dogs aggressive so they will react and then she can say they are vicious dogs.” — davidm@dispatch.co.za
Bitter feud over pets on eco estate
In a bizarre twist, police spokesman Lieutenant Luvuyo Mjekula yesterday confirmed they were also investigating charges of alleged trespassing and intimidation against a policeman who went to question Annie de Wet Steyn – wife of developer Justin de Wet Steyn – about the allegations.
“We are investigating both incidents and the dockets will be sent to the director of public prosecutions for a decision soon,” Mjekula said.
Worried Riverview Waterfront Estate residents Vanessa McKay and her husband Gary yesterday alleged they had endured years of verbal abuse, threats and even a high court challenge to try and get them to remove their dogs from the eco-estate on the banks of the Kowie River.
“It has become very ugly, our lives have become a living hell,” McKay said.
The mother of three young children claimed her 10-year-old son Oliver had even been left traumatised after De Wet Steyn allegedly phoned their house claiming their two dogs, Phoebe and Helix, were roaming the estate.
“She was shouting and screaming so loud down the phone that our two dogs were outside our property causing ‘sh*t’ that my children heard it.
“Oliver was petrified.”
A tightlipped De Wet Steyn yesterday refused to comment on allegations she had launched a years-long campaign against the McKays to get them to remove the dogs from the estate. She referred the Daily Dispatch to the deputy chairman of the Riverview Waterfront Estate’s homeowners’ association Richard Verschoor for comment.
Accusing the McKays of launching a vendetta against the estate and De Wet Steyn, Verschoor declined to elaborate saying he did not want to prejudice the police investigation.
However, he said the allegations were a “fabrication” before warning the Dispatch not to publish anything slanderous about the homeowners’ association.
McKay said she had pressed charges of animal cruelty against De Wet Steyn two weeks ago.
“She was outside our property provoking them with a tazer.
“She is trying to make our dogs aggressive so they will react and then she can say they are vicious dogs.” — davidm@dispatch.co.za
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