There seems to be no end to the ongoing crime in the Erasmia residential area, especially house break-ins, with residents seemingly under siege.
Many residents in the area however say, that the ever growing squatter camp, known as Ntswane Village, at their doorstep has contributed to the increase in crime in the area, alleging that many unemployed and illegal foreigners live there. Residents say that the failure of the local police, the CPF and the ANC-led Tshwane Council to act decisively against the illegal squatters, even if they are on private land, is the cause for them now living in fear in their own homes. While the Erasmia police and the CPF refuse to submit detailed crime stats for the area on a weekly basis, residents have from time to time been informing the Laudium Sun regarding some of the crimes committed in the area, for stats purposes.
with valuables, including cash, jewlery and a laptop
In one of the latest incidents of crime reported to the Laudium Sun, a gang of thieves ransacked a house on Ada Str, Erasmia, after breaking into the property, without being noticed entering the property or when leaving it. The break-in which occurred the previous Sunday night at around 11pm at the home of the Naidoo family while they were away, resulted in the gang stealing a number of valuables, including cash, jewellery and a laptop.
Roshni Naidoo of Ada Street, Erasmia, told the Laudium Sun, “The theft took place when we were not around, as our whole family was away at the time. The thieves broke in through the kitchen door and gained access to the main house. It is very disturbing that they managed to enter so easily while we were not there. They stole an amount of cash, jewellery, and one laptop from my room. These are personal belongings, and it is heart breaking to lose them in such a manner. When we later checked the CCTV footage, we saw that three thieves entered the property at around 11pm. The footage clearly shows them jumping over the wall into the yard before breaking into the house. Watching that footage made us feel unsafe and violated, knowing that criminals can enter our property so easily without even being bothered. This incident has truly been horrible for us as it is a great loss, financially and emotionally traumatizing. We work so hard for everything we have and to see it taken away like this is very painful. Erasmia is really becoming more dangerous day by day and the situation is not improving at all. Almost every single day, we hear of criminal activities taking place in the area and it feels like there is no law enforcement presence to protect us as residents. We are really hurt and scared after this incident. It has left us feeling insecure in our own home, which is supposed to be a place of safety. I honestly feel that it might be time for us to consider moving away from this dangerous place, because there is definitely no sense of security here anymore. Living in constant fear is not what any family should have to go through. Something needs to be done urgently by the police, the CPF and the politicians to address the crime in this area.”
Goolam Patel, also of Ada Street, told the Laudium Sun, “I heard about the break-in that happened on our street and it is really disturbing. We work very hard over many years to have a home of our own and buy various items for our homes, only for everything to be wrenched away in a matter of moments. It is heart breaking to see how criminals can destroy someone’s sense of security so easily. What makes the situation worse is that crime, especially house break-ins, have become so common in Erasmia, in the recent months. It feels like these criminals are operating freely without fear in our area, while we as residents are constantly living with anxiety, not knowing whether our homes will be targeted next. This is not the way any community should live. It is extremely disappointing because we depend on the police to protect us, investigate these crimes and bring those responsible to justice. Unfortunately, it seems like the response is not strong enough. Many of us feel that the police and politicians are not doing enough to address the rising crime levels. There is a growing perception that criminals are becoming more organised and advanced, while the authorities are struggling to keep up with them. The nearby squatter camp is also of concern, because we have heard that there are many illegal foreigners and unemployed people living there.”
Ada Street resident, Sadia Ebrahim, told the Laudium Sun, “If criminals continue to act without consequences, the situation can only get worse. People are losing trust in the policing system that is supposed to keep them safe. We need stronger action, better visibility and more effective policing to restore confidence within the community. At the moment, it truly feels like Erasmia is no longer a safe place to live. The increase in house break-ins and other criminal activities has created a sense of fear among residents. Everyone deserves to feel safe in their own home, but right now that sense of safety is fading fast. Something urgent needs to be done to address this growing problem before it gets more out of control.”