It seems that petty criminals, believed to be more nyaopes and vagrants, are once more on the prowl targeting electricity meters from Laudium homes.
While the Laudium CPF and the local police are yet to implement an action plan concerning the rise in the number of vagrants and nyaopes wandering freely on the streets of Laudium,
residents claim that many of these vagrants are responsible for the petty thefts in the area.
Following our article in our July 23 publication concerning the theft of electricity meters on Agra Street East, Laudium, reports of more such thefts have been received. One of the new incidents of electricity meter thefts reported to the Laudium Sun, is that from outside a home on Emerald Street. It is believed that three Black males stole the electricity meters last Friday night at around 11pm, which theft was captured on CCTV footage. Tenant, Zarina Mansha, who is renting the house on Emerald Street, said what was more frustrating was that she had no electricity for two days as the Tshwane Council took its time to replace the meters, despite calling them a number of times. Zarina told the Laudium Sun, “It was late at night and my family and I were asleep. Everything seemed normal at that time just before we went to bed. However, when we woke up in the morning, we found that there was no electricity in the house. At first we thought it was just a normal power outage, as we often experience this in the area and I did not suspect anything unusual. However, as time passed, I became concerned. I decided to ask my neighbours if they were also experiencing the same electricity issue and that is when I found that there was no power outage at all in the area on that day. That made me realise that something was definitely wrong only at my house. I started to worry and kept thinking about what could be the reason behind the electricity being off only on my property. I looked at the electricity box inside the house to see if perhaps there was a trip, but all the switches were up. That is when I decided to call an electrician to come and check the problem. When the electrician arrived and inspected everything, he quickly found the problem and informed me that the electric meters of the house, which were in the outside box, had been stolen. I was completely shocked and could not believe what I was hearing. The place where the electric meters are located was locked in a steel cabinet which is the property of the Municipality, so I could not understand how the thieves managed to break the lock and steal such an important and dangerous meters which were connected to live wires. It is extremely frustrating and worrying to realise that criminals in Laudium have reached such a level that they are now stealing electric meters from locked boxes. This is not only theft but also a dangerous act that puts lives at risk. I kept thinking about how unsafe it has become for us as residents, who have children. For two days we were left without electricity, which made daily life very difficult. I had to struggle to manage basic things in the house and it caused a lot of inconvenience and stress. After two days, the electricity was finally restored, which was a relief, but the fear and frustration remained. Once the electricity was back, I immediately checked the CCTV footage to see what had happened. In the footage, It clearly shows three thieves coming to the yard of the house. They broke the lock of the meter box, which is placed outside and stole the electricity meters from the box. Seeing this made me feel even more disturbed because it showed how easily criminals can come in front of the property and carry out such acts without fear of passing cars or even by chance a police patrol van. Honestly, this situation of ongoing crime in Laudium is really too much for us to even continue staying in Laudium. It feels like this place is no longer safe for us law abiding residents and our children. Laudium has become a place where criminals operate freely and it feels like a gangsters paradise where law abiding people are left to suffer.”
Happy Priyadarshi, also of Emerald Street, told the Laudium Sun, “Although my name means happiness, I am not happy at all with what is going on in Laudium. Every day I see things getting worse and it becomes harder to stay positive in a place where crime and grime are taking over. I am currently unemployed and actively looking for a job, trying my best to find something honest so that I can support myself and build a better future. But when I look around, it feels like the situation is completely upside down. Criminals are moving around freely, almost like they are the ones who are ’employed’ and earning money, while people like me, who genuinely want to work and live an honest life, are left struggling. It is very frustrating and disheartening to witness this. It feels like there are more opportunities for wrongdoing than there are for honest work and that is not how any community should function. This situation is truly insane to me because it creates a contradiction in our society. Honest people are suffering, trying to make ends meet, going from place to place searching for jobs and facing rejection after rejection. At
the same time, those who choose the wrong path seem to be prospering, living off money that comes from crime and illegal activities. It is painful to see this reality, especially when you are trying your best to do the right thing. We are living in a world where values seem to be shifting in the wrong direction. People with good intentions are overlooked, while those with bad intentions continue to operate without fear. This not only affects individuals like me, but also harms the entire community. It creates an environment where young people may start thinking that crime is the only way to survive and live a lavish life and that is very dangerous for the future of Laudium. Crime is without a doubt one of the biggest concerns our community is facing and it needs to stop. There must be stronger action taken by the police, the CPF and the politicians to protect residents and to create real opportunities for people who want to work and contribute positively. Without change, the situation will only continue to get worse. I am qualified, willing to work and ready to prove myself if given a chance. I am struggling to find a job and it is not easy, but I am not giving up. If anyone is willing to offer me an opportunity, I would truly appreciate it. All I want is a fair chance to earn an honest living and to restore some sense of hope in my life.”
Anyone willing to employ Happy, can leave their details on the Laudium Sun WhatsApp number, which will then be forwarded to Happy for his consideration.