Bonza Bay beach was the scene of what is believed to be the second violent mugging in just under a week when a knife-wielding attacker confronted a beach walker on Tuesday morning, making off with his valuables.
Ruben Pohlmann, a resident who lives nearby, said he witnessed the aftermath of Tuesday’s attack, saying the victim claimed to have been walking on the beach between Blue Bend and Bonza Bay when he was stabbed in both his arms.
“He had bandages around his arms but you could still see blood coming from underneath,” said Pohlmann, who described the victim as a 50-year-old man.
He said there were at least four police officers on the scene at the time.
“Police said he should go to Frere [hospital] before going to the police station.”
East London police spokeswoman Hazel Mqala said the victim had yet to open a case. He was not identified.
“I’m 71. I don’t feel safe anymore,” Pohlmann said.
He added that he had heard of four attacks on that stretch of beach, and had been told that the attackers used the nearby bushes as cover.
Andrew Mager, the father of a 16-year-old girl who was mugged at knife-point on the same stretch of beach on Thursday, told the Dispatch that while his daughter was uninjured she was emotionally shaken.
Mager said his daughter had been running along the beach at 4.30pm and was halfway between Blue Bend and Bonza Bay when she passed two youths sitting on a rock. As she passed, they moved towards her and held a knife to her stomach, demanding that she hand over her phone and earphones.
He said his daughter had described the two muggers, one in his late 20s and the other, who was only about 12 or 13.
Marion Mackley, Bonza Bay’s ward councillor, said the trend was “really worrying”.
“Visible policing is the only way to let criminals know they are being watched,” she said.
Beacon Bay Community Patrol Association (CPA) deputy patrol co-ordinator Anthony Verwey said he was aware of the recent attacks on the beach between Bonza Bay and Blue Bend, noting that in the past attacks in the area were more likely to occur towards German Bay.
Verwey said that while the CPA did have a beach patrol unit, they could not monitor the beach at all times due to a limited number of volunteers. He felt the more volunteers there were, the more patrols they could do and this would keep crime levels down.
“We need to do an operation on the western side of the beach to see what is going on there,” he said adding that a check needed to be carried out to see if people were living in the dunes. Verwey said walking alone would make one a target and advised people to walk in groups and carry a self-defence item like pepper spray.
Bonza Bay beach thugs on the prowl
Image: File/ Sibongile Ngalwa
Bonza Bay beach was the scene of what is believed to be the second violent mugging in just under a week when a knife-wielding attacker confronted a beach walker on Tuesday morning, making off with his valuables.
Ruben Pohlmann, a resident who lives nearby, said he witnessed the aftermath of Tuesday’s attack, saying the victim claimed to have been walking on the beach between Blue Bend and Bonza Bay when he was stabbed in both his arms.
“He had bandages around his arms but you could still see blood coming from underneath,” said Pohlmann, who described the victim as a 50-year-old man.
He said there were at least four police officers on the scene at the time.
“Police said he should go to Frere [hospital] before going to the police station.”
East London police spokeswoman Hazel Mqala said the victim had yet to open a case. He was not identified.
“I’m 71. I don’t feel safe anymore,” Pohlmann said.
He added that he had heard of four attacks on that stretch of beach, and had been told that the attackers used the nearby bushes as cover.
Andrew Mager, the father of a 16-year-old girl who was mugged at knife-point on the same stretch of beach on Thursday, told the Dispatch that while his daughter was uninjured she was emotionally shaken.
Mager said his daughter had been running along the beach at 4.30pm and was halfway between Blue Bend and Bonza Bay when she passed two youths sitting on a rock. As she passed, they moved towards her and held a knife to her stomach, demanding that she hand over her phone and earphones.
He said his daughter had described the two muggers, one in his late 20s and the other, who was only about 12 or 13.
Marion Mackley, Bonza Bay’s ward councillor, said the trend was “really worrying”.
“Visible policing is the only way to let criminals know they are being watched,” she said.
Beacon Bay Community Patrol Association (CPA) deputy patrol co-ordinator Anthony Verwey said he was aware of the recent attacks on the beach between Bonza Bay and Blue Bend, noting that in the past attacks in the area were more likely to occur towards German Bay.
Verwey said that while the CPA did have a beach patrol unit, they could not monitor the beach at all times due to a limited number of volunteers. He felt the more volunteers there were, the more patrols they could do and this would keep crime levels down.
“We need to do an operation on the western side of the beach to see what is going on there,” he said adding that a check needed to be carried out to see if people were living in the dunes. Verwey said walking alone would make one a target and advised people to walk in groups and carry a self-defence item like pepper spray.
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