I went to a pet shop, the aquarium section, and bought a little plastic connector (meant for fish tank filter hoses) for R1.20. That's about 9p!! Cut out the damaged piece of hose and replaced with my fish tank connector. (The damaged piece was about 1 or 2 cm and above the vacuum pump).
Interestingly, since repairing the hose, my brakes work properly again and the 2 amigos have left town.