While the Laudium CPF, headed by Chair of the Pakistan South Africa Association, Zahid ul Zama, who is also an active member of the ANC, seems not to be focused on fighting crime in the area, but instead on promoting ANC Cllr Naeem Patel as a candidate for the forthcoming Municipal elections on November 4, residents remain living in fear due to the ongoing crime.
Despite the local CPF and Police having an embargo on weekly or even monthly crime stats for the area, the Laudium Sun continues to receive reports of crime from concerned members of the community.
In one of the latest reports received, thieves ransacked a home on the gated 5th Avenue in
Laudium. The street, which was once regarded as one of the most prime areas in Laudium has, since the current CPF and ANC Cllr Patel came into office, seen many local residents moving out to nearby security estates, with mostly those hailing from Pakistan buying their homes at below replacement value.
The theft, which occurred this past Friday evening (October 2), resulted in many items being stolen, including expensive jewellery and electronic items.
Homeowner, Shireen Carrim, of 5th Avenue, Laudium, told the Laudium Sun, “I am not sure when the theft happened because I was not in the house at the time. My entire family went out for a function and we left towards the evening at around 5pm. We only returned home at around 9pm that night. When we returned home, I was shocked to find our front door open and damaged, as it had been forced open. It was immediately clear to me that something was wrong. When I entered the house, the place was in a mess with many of our items lying on the floor, clearly indicating that our house had been ransacked. While going through the house, I immediately noticed that a few items were missing. I then checked for the jewellery that was kept in the house and discovered that all the jewellery was missing. I also noticed that some electronic items had also been stolen. It was very upsetting to come home after being away for only a few hours only to find that greedy thieves had invaded our private space, our home which is meant to be our sanctuary. These thieves forcefully entered our space, going through each room of ours and stealing whatever they wanted. It was really a nasty and scary feeling. We left our home for a few hours, expecting the home to be safe, but when we returned, we found the front door forced open and our personal belongings stolen. It is a terrible feeling to know that someone entered your home while you were away. We reported the incident to the Police and a case of theft was opened. I hope the matter will be investigated because we want to know who was responsible for breaking into our home and stealing our belongings. We also want to feel that our concerns are being taken seriously. This is really worrying because we do not feel safe in Laudium anymore. Crime seems to be taking place each and every day and residents are becoming increasingly concerned about what could happen to them or their families. We should be able to leave our homes without worrying that criminals will break in and steal our belongings. The street gating in our block is also not helping at all because it does not seem to be slowing down the crime. On top of that, many residents are not paying for security at the gate any more, which makes me question the purpose of having the gate if crime is still taking place anyway. I believe it is time that the Police, CPF, politicians and all those involved in crime fighting in the area, work as a united team for the sake of the community, as residents cannot continue living in fear, like this. There have to be more Police patrols on our street. We need better security and stronger measures to protect our homes and our community.”
Zubeida Ismail, another resident of 5th Avenue, Laudium, told the Laudium Sun, “I feel that our community is slowly losing its sense of security and this is something that concerns me deeply. The situation around us is becoming increasingly worrying and I believe residents need to speak openly about what they are experiencing. For me, the biggest concern is that criminals appear more confident in committing crime in our neighbourhood. The ongoing crime in the area is creating uncertainty and fear among residents, because we do not know where, when or who will be the next target. This puts unnecessary stress on families. Instead of living and sleeping in peace, we as a community are constantly thinking about our safety and the safety of our homes and belongings. I believe we need stronger Police presence throughout the area. The Police and the CPF have to work more closely with private security companies and residents, so that there is a co-ordinated approach when dealing with criminal activity. We cannot have different groups working separately when the problem affects the entire neighbourhood. I also believe that the Police and politicians have a leading responsibility to play in ensuring that our streets are kept safe. Visible policing can make a difference, especially when residents know that law enforcement is paying attention to their areas. There seems to be no proper communication between residents, the CPF and the Police, so that the concerns of residents are heard and addressed appropriately. I do not want to see our community giving up hope on this crime situation. Our community has many hard working families who simply want to live their lives without constantly worrying about security. We should be able to enjoy our freedom, in our homes and neighbourhoods without feeling that criminals have the upper hand. I believe now is the time for everyone involved in community safety to take the plight of residents seriously. If we work together and remain alert, we can start rebuilding confidence amongst the community. I want to see a community where residents feel protected and where criminal activity is dealt a blow. We cannot allow the ongoing crime situation to continue while people simply watch from the sidelines. Action is needed and I believe it needs to start now.”
