Despite flowery slogans by the ANC, such as promises ‘for a better life for all South Africans,’ a growing number of residents are realizing that the ANC at all spheres of government is dismally failing South Africans, concerning poor service delivery.
It is evident that many local residents also see the ANC as a political party infested with many corrupt politicians and members. One of the Departments led by the ANC is the Police Dept, which is plagued by corruption at the highest level. Thus criminals are having a feast as they go about freely attacking innocent South Africans. As more evidence is led at the Madlanga Commission, it becomes clearer as to why crime is so rampant in South Africa, with some local residents asking, “If the top of the police brass are so corrupt, what do you expect from our local cops?”
This follows this week, yet more incidents of crime in the Laudium area reported to the Laudium Sun, for stats purposes. Despite claims by the local SAPS and the Laudium CPF Patrollers, that they are patrolling the streets of Laudium, residents and visitors to the area continue to be attacked.
In one of the latest incidents of crime, a Bangladeshi national, Morsalin Ali from Mpumalanga, who came to visit a friend on Bengal Street in Laudium, was kidnapped in broad daylight by three Black males, who bundled him into his car at gunpoint and drove with him to Atteridgeville. There, they stole money from his bank card at an ATM and even swiped his card for other transactions, after which the thugs brazenly stole his motor vehicle and personal belongings.
The kidnapping which took place last Friday morning (Jan 30) at around 10am has left Morsalin shocked and in disbelief that the thugs could so easily drive away with his vehicle, without being spotted by the police.
Morsalin told the Laudium Sun, “I came from Mpumalanga to visit a friend in Laudium, driving my white Toyota Hilux bakkie (KTS 436 MP).
My friend asked me to meet him at the Shell Garage on Bengal Street from where I was then to follow him home. I am not familiar with Laudium, so I relied on my GPS to find the location. Unfortunately, the GPS directed me the wrong way and I ended up driving till the end of Bengal Street past the Laudium Hospital. Realizing that I was lost, I stopped my vehicle to call my friend for directions. While I was parked and trying to contact him, three Black thugs suddenly approached my vehicle. They immediately pointed a gun at me, ordered me to keep quiet and forced me into the back passenger seat. One of the thugs sat with me, pointing a gun against me all the time, while the other two sat in front and drove my bakkie away. I pleaded with them to let me get off and told them that I had electronic goods in the back of my bakkie, which they could take. I was more worried about my life, but instead, the guy next to me started assaulting me and ordered me to keep quiet. They continued driving for about 15 minutes and eventually stopped at some deserted place. They took my passport, my ID, R500 cash, the bank cards that were in my wallet and my cellphones. Then they drove again and stopped outside a shop that seemed to be in a township and demanded I give them the PIN numbers. While two of the thugs went inside the shop, the other thug stood outside. This is when I saw an opportunity to escape. I ran as fast as I could and went into one of the houses nearby, where the front door was open. I quickly locked the door from inside. As I was running away I saw one of the thugs chasing after me, while the other two drove off with my bakkie. The house owner was so shocked to see me in his house and told me to leave because my presence was putting their lives at risk, as the one thug was screaming from outside for me to open the door or else he would start shooting. I pleaded to the owner that I had been kidnapped from Laudium and that if I went outside, the thug would kill me. After a while it was quiet and I realized that the thug was no longer there. I then left the house and ran to a nearby tuck shop. There I was assisted in calling the SAPS. When the police arrived, they informed me that I was in Atteridgeville. They allowed me to call my tracking company and together with the SAPS, we located my bakkie in a hilly open place nearby. My vehicle had been badly damaged as the thugs had attempted to strip it. This experience in Laudium has been the worst experience of my life. I believed that Laudium was a safe place, but what I went through showed me how serious crime is in the area. I never want to experience something like this again.”
Tasmia Ismail of Bengal Street in Laudium Ext 3, told the Laudium Sun, “It is very hard living on this street, because I believe many of the criminals come from the nearby squatter camp, attack us and easily run back there. We live all the time in fear because no one can truly feel safe around here. I often see suspicious people hanging around, but we can’t even ask them what they are doing, as it is now a free country and people can walk where they want and stand outside our houses whenever they want. There is an urgent need for the local CPF Patrollers and the SAPS to patrol regularly. At present we rarely, if ever, see either the SAPS or CPF in our neighborhood and this lack of visible security makes the street even more dangerous. Residents cannot go about their daily lives without worrying about being attacked, robbed, or kidnapped. This is not a way to live. This is not a better life.”
Mohammed Khan, also of Bengal Street, told the Laudium Sun, “Bengal Street has become a crime hotspot. What I just cannot understand is why are the police and the CPF not doing anything about it. As residents of Ext 3, we are demanding stricter enforcement of the laws against these thugs. There is no proactive policing in our area.”
of the area are demanding stricter law enforcement against thugs, adding that there is currently no proactive policing in the area.