Local residents are becoming increasingly frustrated with the ongoing crime in the area, despite their desperate efforts to curb crime.
As the local police and other bodies established to fight crime in the area are failing the community in curbing crime, residents are spending huge amounts of money to install security gates and close off streets in their neighbourhoods, so as to curb the crime. However, despite these measures, crime in the gated areas of Laudium/Erasmia area continues, with residents asking how much more they should do to curb the crime.
This follows a Toyota vehicle, being stolen in the gated area of Helioder Street last Wednesday. The owner of the car was reluctant to give a comment as his wife was still not aware of the theft and promised to comment soon. Another vehicle also a Toyota was stolen in the nearby area of Cuprene Str, this past Monday afternoon (March 31).While many residents were celebrating the day of
Eid, thieves were celebrating their ill-gotten gains on Monday, after stealing a Toyota Cressida. It is believed that two Black males stole the Cressida (Reg: GLG 245 GP) on Monday late afternoon from outside a Cuprene Street house in Laudium.
Elizabeth Matlala, who lives at the Cuprene Street home, told the Laudium Sun, “It was a really bad day for us as my husband, Elias Kantande, lost his Toyota Cressida parked just in front of our house. The car was parked outside while my husband was sitting in the living room. It was around 5pm, when my husband went to check on the car, and it was gone. It was nowhere to be found. This is really heart-breaking as my husband works day and night and saved his money to buy his dream car. In just a second, it was stolen. I suspect that the thieves were two Black guys, who I saw in front of our house. I didn’t approach them as they seemed like decent African men. I thought maybe they were visiting one of our neighbours, but now I strongly suspect that those two guys stole the car. The value of the car is around R25,000 as it was an old model, but it’s not just about the cost of the car. There were so many memories tied to that car. It wasn’t just a car; it was our romantic getaway, where we used to travel long distances and sing our love songs. Now, all those memories are gone in an instant. My husband and I can’t believe how cruel people can be, and how these people don’t think about respecting the property and sentiments of others. This place is becoming cruel, and we must stand against crime. Laudium is becoming very dangerous, but I believe we can still make it better if we all stand together against crime and don’t give criminals a chance to think they are above the law. Lastly, the police must act, intervene, and protect Laudium residents from crime. There has to be more pro-active policing.”
Hanif Patel, also of Cuprene Street, told the Laudium Sun, “I heard about the car that was stolen from our neighbour and it is really worrying. Elias, whose car was stolen, works day and night, and these criminals had no mercy for him or anyone else for that matter. All they know is to steal things that don’t belong to them. Crime is becoming very common in Laudium. I’ve been living in this area for a long time and I have noticed over time that crime is getting out of hand. The community must stand against crime and there must be more police patrols and more security guards on our street, especially at night. I believe that many of these criminals come from the nearby squatter camp, who just want to break-in and rob those who work hard to earn their money. We can’t continue living our lives in fear. We deserve better protection for our children and for ourselves.”
better protection for our children and for ourselves.”
Another Cuprene Street resident, Haron Sakoor, told the Laudium Sun, “The crime in Laudium and Erasmia is really bad and no one
seems interested in doing anything about it. We have community forums, but all they do is show up for functions or government events, just to pose for pictures. In a nutshell, there is a lot of crime in Laudium but the people who claim to be community leaders, are failing us over and over again when it comes to preventing this crime.”
“community leaders are failing us over and over again when it comes to preventing crime.”