‘Locals to blame for killings’

The man behind the controversial Camp Joy says that Strandfontein residents are to blame for recent murders.

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Cape Town - The man behind the controversial rehabilitation centre blamed for an increase in murders in Strandfontein says residents themselves are to blame.

Social crime prevention specialist Pastor Craven Engel runs a resource centre at Camp Joy in Camp Road, Strandfontein.

Engel also runs Operation Ceasefire in Hanover Park.

He insists his projects “have nothing to do” with the recent spate of murders in the area.

Since June, four men have been killed in Strandfontein in what is suspected to be drug and gang-related incidents.

Chad Baron, 26, was hijacked in June, assaulted and left for dead in Camp Road. He passed away in hospital weeks later.

In July, 26-year-old Sedick Isaacs was strangled and his body dumped at Nine Miles beach.

Last Wednesday, Brandon Thomas, 36, was shot dead.

And days later Lyle Eyden, 25, was stabbed outside his home after a night out with friends.

Sedick, Brandon and Lyle all lived in Pilot Way, close to Camp Joy.

Strandfontein resident and secretary of the area’s Social and Economic Forum, Mandy van Willingh, claims the victims would still be alive if it wasn’t for Camp Joy.

Residents say all the murders can be linked to a drug turf war between rehab “patients” who have gang links with the Yakkies, Americans and Mongrels.

But on Wednesday Engel rejected the allegations.

Engel tells the Daily Voice: “We are here to help the community but instead there are people blaming us for what is happening in their area.

“They must look at areas like Mitchells Plain and the squatter camps.

“The violence in those areas could be spilling over [into Strandfontein].”

Our team found four informal settlements in Camp Road.

Speaking to us at Camp Joy, Engel says none of the participants in his programme are allowed to leave the premises.

“They are always monitored,” he says.

“These incidents all happened at night. At night we do a head count, we also do random drug tests.

“The only people who are allowed to leave the premises are those who are at school or at work.

“We don’t allow visits from friends and no one is allowed to use a cellphone besides those who have to leave the camp.

“There is no guarantee that they are not in contact with outside people but it’s highly unlikely.”

Engel says at least two of his participants are currently on parole.

One of them is Osbert Solomons, 30, who is on parole after spending two years in prison for theft and robbery.

Osbert says: “I am not from the area so I don’t know anyone here.

“The only time I’m allowed to leave Camp Joy is to go to college and that’s between 8am and 3.40pm.”

Engel has also received support from Strandfontein resident Reverend Oscar Bougardt.

Bougardt says: “[Engel] is doing a good job, they are really trying to help the community.

“There are some bad elements coming into the community, but many of our people are sitting with the gangsters and drug dealers in their homes.

“They are in denial about their own children.

“There are many innocent victims but not all of them.

“[A] suspect in Chad’s case is from Strandfontein.”

Strandfontein councillor Elton Jansen has also defended Engel.

Jansen says: “It is wrong to allege that the killings that happened in Pilot Way or elsewhere in the area is directly or indirectly linked with the operations on Camp Joy.

“If people have proof or information or they can link the murders to Camp Joy they must come forward.

“I will gladly assist to get the information to SAPS if they wish to stay anonymous.”

Daily Voice