As crime in the Erasmia residential area continues unabated, with more and more homes being targeted, residents in the area are questioning what role the local police and the CPF are playing in curbing the crime problem.
While the local police refuse to give weekly crime stats for the area, residents remain in the dark as to actual crime happenings and the modus operandi of the crimes committed by the criminals. Many residents believe that the local police and politicians are simply ignoring the threat of crime increasing in the area, as the informal settlement in the area grows with illegal foreigners and those unemployed coming from other provinces into the area for better opportunities.
This follows the Laudium Sun receiving yet another complaint of a house break-in, this time at the home of the Choonara family on Erasmia’s Skurweberg Street, which took place last Sunday afternoon at around 5:30pm, while the family was away for the weekend. According to CCTV footage, four thieves jumped over the back wall of the property, then entered the kitchen, by forcefully opening the door after breaking the door lock. A number of valuable items were stolen including two laptops, with the gang managing to leave the property without being noticed by the local police and CPF Patrollers.
Zainab Choonara of Skurweberg Street, told the Laudium Sun, “My family and I were not at home when the incident happened. When we returned the following day, we were shocked to discover that our house had been broken into. The house had been ransacked, clearly indicating that the thieves were looking for valuables. It was only when we checked the CCTV footage that we realised that there were four thieves who gained entry into the house, forcefully opening the back kitchen door. They stole a number of our electronic items, including two laptops. The crime situation in Erasmia, especially on our street, is extremely concerning. Although the area may appear quiet and peaceful, criminal activity has been increasing at an alarming rate and we no longer feel safe in our own homes, as incidents like these are becoming too frequent. There is a growing sense of fear and frustration within the community and it feels like these criminals are operating without any fear of being caught. We really need better protection and improved law enforcement presence in the area. The police or CPF patrols are hardly visible and it is rare to even see any patrol vehicles on our street. This lack of regular patrolling creates opportunities for criminals to target homes without fear. We heard that the growing informal settlement in the area could be the reason why crime is increasing in our area. Nevertheless, the absence of visible policing has made these criminals more bold and they now feel they can carry out crimes at any time. Increased police patrols, quicker response times and better community engagement is needed to restore a sense of security among residents. Without proper intervention, the situation will continue to worsen, leaving more households vulnerable to similar crimes.”
Mohammed Talha, also of Skurweberg Street, told the Laudium Sun, “The crime rate is increasing in our area despite having a gating system all around Erasmia and there are still many crimes affecting our community, especially housebreak-ins, which have become too common in our area. It is worrying that even with some level of controlled access, criminals are still finding ways to enter and target homes, leaving residents feeling unsafe and vulnerable. Crime can be reduced if we have proper police patrols and a competent CPF to ensure better visibility in our area, but currently there is very little police or CPF patrolling taking place. As residents, we cannot rely mostly on private security companies because protection from the police is our basic right and it is their responsibility to ensure that communities are safe and secure at all times. We, as residents of Erasmia, feel that we are lacking proper police support, especially when it comes to regular patrols on our streets. The absence of visible policing gives criminals more confidence to operate freely, knowing that there is a low risk of being caught. This situation creates fear among residents and affects the overall sense of safety in the community.”
