While the head of the Laudium CPF, Zahid-ulZama, who is also the head of the South African Pakistan Association, seems to have no clue as to the responsibilities of a CPF, crime continues in the Laudium area.
Other than photos of Zahid (an active member of the ANC) and ANC Cllr Patel being posted on social media, seemingly hoodwinking the community that they are actively involved in fighting crime, crime still continues in the area, leaving residents in fear and having sleepless nights.
This follows another week, with reports of crime in the area, once more received from the community, as the police and the CPF refuse to release weekly crime stats.
In one of the latest incidents of crime reported to the Laudium Sun, two Black males broke into the 13th Avenue, Laudium home of a tenant, in the early morning of the previous Sunday, at around 3am. The thieves gained entry into the home of Sibei Bono, while he and his family were asleep, by forcefully opening the kitchen window and then slipping away without being spotted by the police or the local CPF Patrollers, after stealing a 9kg gas cylinder, four pairs of expensive shoes and other items from the house.
Sibei Bonoa, the tenant renting a section of the house on 13th Avenue, told the Laudium Sun, “My family and I were asleep when the break-in took place. I heard a sound during the night, but I thought it was coming from outside, so I did not pay much attention to it. It did not seem serious at the time so I went back to sleep without realising what was actually happening. When I woke up in the morning, I discovered that there had been a break-in at my home. I was shocked and deeply disturbed by what I saw. With the help of my neighbours’ CCTV footage, I later found out that two Black thieves got into the house by breaking through the kitchen window. They managed to gain entry quietly while we were asleep. The thieves stole a 9kg gas cylinder from the kitchen, along with four pairs of shoes that were also kept in that area and other small items. After stealing these items, they fled the scene, without being spotted by anyone. It is very upsetting to know that criminals can enter your home so easily and leave without being noticed. This is not the first time that such an incident has happened in the area. Similar break-ins have taken place before and it is becoming a serious concern for residents. It is really disheartening because we work very hard to earn our money and within seconds, criminals take away our belongings without any fear. Crime in Laudium is becoming extremely high and many of us are tired and frustrated with the current lawlessness situation. There seems to be a weak policing system in place and many of us feel that there is little justice. It seems that both the police and the CPF are not doing enough to prevent these crimes, with residents left feeling unsafe in their own homes. We need stronger action and better protection from the police. People deserve to feel safe where they live, especially at night with their families. This situation cannot continue, as it is affecting the peace and security of all residents in Laudium.”
Bhavesh Patel, another tenant of the 13th Ave property, told the Laudium Sun, “I heard about the housebreaking incident at my neighbour’s home and it is really very concerning. Incidents like these are becoming far too common in our area and it is deeply worrying for all residents living in Laudium. People can no longer live in peace, as almost every day we hear about some form of crime happening in our community. This situation is extremely upsetting because we all work hard to provide for our families and to maintain our homes, yet criminals are so easily able to take advantage of our vulnerable community. It feels like there is a lack of will by the police to stop crime in the area, as criminals are becoming more confident in carrying out their activities without fear. As residents, we are left feeling vulnerable and unsafe in our own neighbourhoods. I strongly believe that security measures in Laudium need to be tightened urgently. There needs to be better co-ordination and visible action taken by the SAPS as well as local Community Patrollers. At the moment it seems like criminals are doing whatever they want, whenever they want and there is no strong system in place to stop them. This creates a dangerous environment for everyone, especially for families with children and elderly residents. We need more visible policing, regular patrols and stronger community involvement bringing in all role players, not a selected few, to ensure that crime is reduced. It is also important for residents to work together, share information and support each other to keep the area safe, leaving the politics out. Community awareness of all relevant incidents of crime can play a big role in preventing further incidents. If nothing is done by those in charge, the situation will only continue to get worse. Criminals will feel more empowered and residents will continue to suffer losses and emotional distress. We cannot allow our community to reach that point. Immediate action is needed to restore safety and confidence among the people living here.”
Saloshni Naidoo of 13th Avenue told the Laudium Sun, “Laudium has always been a close-knit community and it is important that we practice that sense of unity and security. We need authorities to take this ongoing crime seriously and implement effective solutions. Residents deserve to feel safe in their homes, especially during the night when such incidents usually take place. I hope that by speaking out, more attention will be brought to the growing crime problem in Laudium. It is time for the police to take stronger action and increase patrols and for the authorities and the politicians to make a united effort to address this serious issue of crime, before it escalates further.”