As the ANC-led government at national, provincial and municipal level continues to fail residents, service delivery on policing, health, education and other basic services such as working streetlights, clean streets and an undisturbed water and electricity supply, continues to be a concern for residents.
This follows a local resident speaking out about his ‘nightmare’ of an experience after being kidnapped recently, leaving his family and neighbours shaken over the level of crime facing ordinary residents and business people.
In one of the latest incidents, a businessman from Turquoise Street, Laudium, Aasif Ghasiya, was kidnapped shortly after closing his shop in Tembisa the previous Wednesday evening (August 26). Aasif was on his way home to Laudium, driving a black Jetour, when he was accosted by six Black armed thugs. The thugs then forced him into their vehicle and drove him to an unknown location. According to information received, the thugs were dressed in Metro Police uniforms. After being held captive for several days, Aasif was released last Wednesday (a week later), after a ransom amount was paid to them.
Aasif Ghasiya, of Turquoise Street, Laudium, told the Laudium Sun, “I closed my shop, an electronic shop in Tembisa and was on my way home to Laudium. I was driving alone when the incident took place and it is really scary even to remember it. There were four unmarked cars and the road was a bit dark. I saw four Black males who were dressed in traffic police uniforms and I thought they were genuine police officers. So I stopped my car in the street as there were not too many cars on the road. They told me to get out of my vehicle and said they would search the whole car. After a few minutes, one of the fake police thugs pointed a gun at me and told me they were taking me to the Police Station as they had found something suspicious in the car. I got really scared, as there was nothing in the car. The fake police thugs were driving two cars and they told me to sit in the back of one of the cars. Two other thugs were driving my car. I really didn’t know where they took me, but then I realised that they were not real police officers, but thugs. I then pleaded with them to leave me and told them that they could take my money and my car. But they hit me very badly and said that if I said anything again, they would hit me more. They took me to a different location and I can’t recall it at all, as they blindfolded me and I can’t remember anything about where they took me or what happened. All I remember is that I was kept in a small room and I was not allowed to see anything. It was the most traumatic experience of my life because it was just like a movie; things were happening so quickly. They hit me here and there, but I was fine. After a few days, I guess they contacted my family and gave them a ransom amount to release me, otherwise they would have killed me. My family fetched me when they released me from Tembisa and thankfully I was safe and sound back home. It was really a terrible experience and I was terrified. I pray no one should go through this kind of experience in their life. We are really not safe in South Africa. I didn’t believe anything like this would happen to me.”
Hafiz Abdula, also of Turquoise Street, told the Laudium Sun, “I heard about Aasif being kidnapped and it is really heartbreaking and so sad. As I am his neighbour, I heard that he was kidnapped after leaving his business place in Tembisa and it really shocked me when I heard about what had happened to him. However, with the blessings of the Almighty, he returned home safe and sound and that is something we are all grateful for. This country is literally going from bad to worse and as hard-working people, we should not have to suffer from this kind of trauma. People work hard every day to provide for their families and to run their businesses, but incidents like this make us feel that we are not safe when we are simply trying to earn a living and return home to our families. Criminal activities have increased a lot in Centurion, Laudium and the surrounding areas, and this is becoming a serious concern for many residents. We hear about different incidents of crime happening in our communities and it is very worrying because we do not know where the next crime will happen or who will become a victim. As residents, we need to be more aware of what is happening around us and look out for each other. We cannot allow criminals to make our communities feel unsafe. The politicians and the Police also need to make sure that stronger action against criminals is taken and that we as law- abiding citizens can go about our daily lives without constantly worrying about our safety. I am thankful that Aasif was able to return home safely, because as his neighbour, I can only imagine what his family must have gone through during those difficult days when he was kidnapped. I hope that the Police will investigate this matter properly and that the criminals responsible will be brought to justice. I hope there is no safe place for criminals to operate and I pray that our communities can become safer for everyone. No family should have to go through the trauma of having a loved one kidnapped or harmed. We all deserve to live and work in peace without fear.”
Turquoise Street resident, Atif Ismail, told the Laudium Sun, “This is really bad, what happened to my neighbour. I’m sure the experience which he went through was not nice at all because they kept him for four or five days. I can only imagine how frightening it must have been for him and his family. I don’t know where they kept him, but I’m sure it must have been a terrible experience for him. It is really concerning that criminals can target an ordinary businessman in this way. People are simply trying to run their businesses, work hard and provide for their families, but they are being targeted by criminals all the time. Nobody should have to live with the fear that they could be kidnapped or attacked while returning home after a day at work. I feel that the authorities need to take much stronger action against criminals. The level of crime we are seeing is extremely worrying and people are becoming frustrated because they want to feel safe in their own communities. When incidents like this happen to someone living close to us, it affects the whole neighbourhood because everyone starts asking whether they could be next.”