Residents in Laudium Ext 3, are once more appealing to the local police to beef up patrols, following the ongoing crime in their area, which evidently does not seem to be curbed by the police.
From attacks on homes to attacks whilst driving in cars and also whilst walking on the streets in Ext 3, residents have for years been calling for the closure of the area leading into the open bush and hills behind many of the houses in the locality. In response, over the years, many politicians who campaigned in the area during election time, promised to wall of the place leading into Atteridgeville, but their promises were just empty promises. In one of the latest incidents of crime in the area, a gardener working in Laudium was attacked as he walked up Bengal Str, to go to his home in the nearby informal settlement of Itireleng. The gardener who was attacked last Friday
afternoon (August 16) just before 3pm, was found laying on the street stabbed.
According to reports three ‘young’ looking black males, robbed and stabbed the gardener, known as Pete, after which they fled into the open veld leading into the hills. Natasha Ahir who found the victim stabbed and wounded outside her house on Bengal Str Ext 3 told the Laudium Sun, “I was sitting in the lounge on Friday afternoon at around 3pm, when I heard some noises coming from outside my house. I checked through the curtain and saw a whole lot of people standing at my gate. I then opened the door to go out and check what was going on. When I got outside, I saw a black guy laying right in front of my gate, bleeding, as he had sustained multiple stab wounds. I then approached one of the people who were standing there and they said the African male had just been robbed of his belongings by 3 guys who ran through the bush. The person who gave me this information said that he witnessed the robbery, but at this point I cannot tell you who it was, because I myself don’t know who this person was. I heard that the man who was stabbed worked in Laudium as a gardener. The police and ambulance then arrived and the victim was taken to hospital. Crime is very high in Ext 3 and it is dangerous to even walk on the street as these armed thugs are using the open spaces leading to the hills to come into our area to attack and then make a quick get away back to the hills. Even the police are scared or reluctant to run after these thugs once they are gone into the hills.”
Bengal Str resident, Rudzani Marambo told the Laudium Sun,” Crime increases daily, here in Ext 3, whether it is day or night. In fact there seem to be more attacks during the day. That is how brazen these thieves have become. They are not even afraid to be caught by the police or even by the community. We have to walk under great stress on the streets, worrying that we might be targeted next. We are all really fed up of this constant crime. I hope and wish that they can put up gates and security leading to the hills. Maybe then crime will slow down.”