A caregiver at a Plettenberg Bay retirement home has indicated to court that she intends pleading guilty to stealing more than R90,000 from an elderly resident admired for his community work.
Hesley McLein was arrested and charged with theft on January 20, and subsequently released on bail of R20,000.
Appearing again in court this week, after changing legal representatives, it was indicated that McLein intended to plead guilty.
The matter was accordingly postponed to June 19 for the plea deal to be finalised.
It is alleged that, while working as a private caregiver at Crescent Carevita retirement home in central Plett, McLein stole resident Allan Kushner’s credit card while he was asleep.
I went to the bank and said I don’t know who is withdrawing his money. They opened a case of fraud but also advised me to go to the police, which I did
— Marian, Allan Kushner’s wife,
According to Kushner’s wife, Marian, her husband, a dementia sufferer, had difficulty remembering his pin number and had written it down on a piece of paper which was kept in his drawer.
Kushner, who is believed to be in his 90s, is well-known in Plettenberg Bay for his previous community work and support of animal welfare organisations.
Marian told The Herald that she became suspicious when she noted notifications of transactions on her husband’s cellphone, knowing that it could not have been him.
She then went to the bank to report her suspicions.
“I went to the bank and said I don’t know who is withdrawing his money. They opened a case of fraud but also advised me to go to the police, which I did,” she said.
During the week before Christmas 2025, R20,000 was allegedly stolen.
A further R30,000 was allegedly stolen the week after Christmas, with further transactions made at retail outlets, a petrol station and grocery store.
Marian said she went to the garage and the grocery outlet to view their CCTV footage. That was when she allegedly saw a woman — later identified as McLein — seemingly making purchases with what looked like a credit card, matching the timestamp.
I showed her the CCTV footage and she identified [McLein] as the person on camera. [The manager] then confronted her that evening. She [allegedly] admitted everything. She said she did it for her children
Marian said she reported her findings to the manager at the retirement home, who was just as surprised to learn of the allegations.
“I showed her the CCTV footage and she identified [McLein] as the person on camera. [The manager] then confronted her that evening. She [allegedly] admitted everything. She said she did it for her children.”
Marian said she did not blame the home for what allegedly transpired, stating that her husband had been a resident there for about a year and had always been well taken care of.
Crescent Carevita director Andrew Dennis Wilson said the retirement home strived to provide excellent service to its residents.
McLein remains out on bail.
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