Chronicle Editor
Melissa Mpofu, Showbiz Editor
LOOKING at pictures and videos of DJ Tira’s posh multi-million rand house situated at the Willowbrook Estate in Ruimsig, Johannesburg, one cannot help but admire the DJ as the house is literally Heaven on earth.
But, what is unknown to many is that deep down, the renowned DJ (real name Mthokozi Khathi) and family, somewhat are not entirely enjoying staying there because of a “naggy” neighbour — Benjamin Oneil — who has them under 24-hour surveillance.
From throwing hammers at each other’s cars, punching each other, name calling, opening cases against each other, the Khathis and O’Neils just do not click.
This has been happening for five years now, according to DJ Tira’s wife, Gugu.
So now imagine how the Khathis’ lockdown is going. Your guess is as good as ours. It is bad! O’Neil’s surveillance has gone a gear up. He is allegedly taking pictures and videos of the Khathis’ movements and reporting them to the police more than ever, the latest report being that of the Khathi’s constant movements at a time that people should be in their homes and only leave when going to get essentials.
The other weekend, O’Neil opened a case with police against DJ Tira for allegedly contravening Covid-19 lockdown regulations. According to TimesLive, NaakMusiQ who has a house on the same estate is also being probed for the same alleged offence.
“These five houses are all friends with one another and under normal circumstances I don’t care, but they’re moving in between houses and visiting one another during the period of lockdown,” O’Neil was quoted saying.
“One minute you see them at Khathi’s and the next at NaakMusiQ’s house. It’s back and forth all the time. As far as I know, about three or four men reside in NaakMusiQ’s house. But you will see a woman popping up and they continue to bring female friends.
“How is that possible during the lockdown? Why are there females at Willowbrook that don’t live here?” questioned Oneil as he reported to the police.
Fed up of O’Neil, Gugu took to her Instagram page last week and shared how they were being tormented by their neighbour. She described how O’Neil had put them on his lockdown and also posted images of him seemingly in action, taking pictures of their household.
“Guys, meet Benjamin O’Neil. I would like to give him his two minutes of fame because I have proven that I’ve never met an old white man my father’s age wanting fame this badly. This is him daily, watching our house and NaaqMusiQ’s. He does this every morning till late afternoon since the lockdown started.
“We have a police van outside our homes daily that he calls for us — so right now he has put us in his lockdown where he won’t let us go to the shops for essentials otherwise we’re met with a police van accused of breach,” wrote Gugu.
She said for the past five years, their stay at the estate has been unbearable.
“Before lockdown, we have lived with his dominating personality and behaviour for five years. He called us a lot of names before discovering who we were. He called us drug dealing Nigerians and thieves. When we buy new cars, he will report us to the police to come and check if the car is legal and straight.
“He has since victimised my kids by refusing them to pass by his property when going to the park or when our eldest son, Junior drives past his home. He has thrown stones, axes and bricks to our cars claiming we speed past his house yet the street hump is right there by his house.”
Gugu said although they had somewhat found a way to deal with O’Neil, which is ignoring him, his reports of them breaching lockdown rules had angered them.
She said it was saddening how the police were clearly picking sides.
“O’Neil is not a problem to us. We have been ignoring him since, but it’s truly sad that he chooses a time like this to push his agenda when the world is going through such a heart hitting Covid-19 pandemic. The most painful part about this situation is the fact that when O’Neil calls the police to come to our house, they get here very angry not trying to find out what’s going on and they keep coming angrier and angrier, but when we call the police, we do not get the same treatment.
“We are dismissed and told there is no immediate danger. They laugh us off and leave us with stupid comments and no help. This needs to stop, we have had enough. We have complained to the estate management and no reply yet — the matter is being reviewed. We have also contacted our legal team for advice but RSA, what do we do in the meantime?”
However, according to comments from O’Neil, it seems the Khathis are also to blame as “they are not seeing the wrongs in their ways”.
O’Neil told SA media that other than the “violent outburst” he had with Gugu last year, they had another nasty exchange of words in January when Gugu had a birthday party and he called the police because of “all the noise after 11pm”. He claimed that police had to hold her back from attacking him physically on the day.
He said they had many other issues, including speeding by the Khathis’ eldest son inside the estate which puts O’Neil’s grandchildren at risk.
“The difficulty with them is they have a son, Junior who speeds when driving and I have three young grandkids. Jub Jub always comes to mind. They are not seeing the wrongs in their ways, they don’t understand that you cannot speed and drive reckless when there are kids around.
“They need to realise that you live in a communal estate and you must respect others,” O’Neil was quoted saying in the Sowetan.
He also claimed that Junior at one point tailgated him.
But either way, the Khathis and O’Neils do not see eye to eye and are certainly having an interesting lockdown.
Commenting on Gugu’s post, most sympathised with her with media personality, Somizi Motaung saying he is in a similar situation.
“Tjo, it’s like I’m reading my own story. I’m going through the same thing. Yesterday I was thinking of writing about this . . . how being black and living in a posh white-dominated estate, they make you feel like wanting to quit and packing your things and go.
“. . . but I shall never give them that satisfaction . . . but it’s annoying as hell,” commented Somizi.
Online Reporter