The Police Minister came together with his top brass Generals for breakfast and then the Minister and his Generals left fast after giving their rhetorical, meaningless speeches about how great they are regarding fighting crime in Laudium and other parts of the country, with the CPF and the local ANC members chorusing to ‘their master’s tune.’
But soon after the top brass left, it was back to the reality of facing crime in the area. Residents of Laudium, have been complaining to the police and the CPF about the increase in the number of vagrants and nyaopes on the streets, many of whom are suspected of being involved in petty crime, but have been ignored by the Exco members of the Laudium CPF headed by Zahid ul-Zama, who is also the chair of the Pakistan South Africa Association, who have made no meaningful attempt to stop the influx.
This follows another break-in at a religious place. This time the Ghousia Masjid on Bengal Street (opposite Shell) in Laudium Ext 2, was broken into sometime between this past Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning (August 26).
According to the Muazzin of the Mosque, all was fine when he locked the doors after the night prayer on Tuesday night.
However, when he went into the Mosque for the early morning prayer at around 5:15am, on Wednesday morning he noticed that all 20 of the water taps at the ablution place (wudhu) had been stripped and were missing. It is believed that at least two thieves were involved in the theft, due to the number of taps stolen, who gained access into the place by breaking a window and then climbing into the wudhu area.
Amanu Cuhuku, the caretaker and Muazzin of Ghousia Masjid on Bengal Street, told the Laudium Sun, “I went to sleep in my room which is on the Mosque premises, after the night prayer on Tuesday. I was in a very deep sleep. I only woke up in the morning for the early morning prayer at around 5:15am. But when I got to the wudhu khana, I was shocked to find that the place was filled with lots of dust, with small broken pieces of brick lying on the ground. I then noticed that all the water taps from the wudhu khana were missing. I immediately realised that something was wrong and suspected that thieves had broken into the Mosque during the night and stolen the taps. I immediately informed the Imaam and the Mosque management. I believe that the Mosque management is now looking into the matter and will decide what steps need to be taken. This theft is really bad and very disappointing because it happened at a Mosque, which is a place where people come to worship and pray. It is very upsetting to think that someone would break into a place of worship and steal property that is used by the people who attend the Mosque. The wudhu khana is important because people use the water facilities for cleansing before they perform
their prayers and now the stolen taps have caused a major inconvenience. I suspect that there could have been more than two thieves involved, because it would be difficult for one person to remove and take away all 20 water taps. From what I saw in the morning, it appeared that the thieves had gained access through a window. They broke the window and then entered the wudhu khana, where they removed the taps before leaving the premises. I was shocked when I saw what had happened because everything appeared normal when I went to sleep. I never expected that someone would break into the Mosque during the night. The dust and broken brick pieces on the ground made it clear that there had been damage and that someone had forced their way inside. This incident is really concerning for us because it shows that thieves are willing to target places of worship as well. We cannot allow this kind of crime to continue in our community. I hope the police will investigate the matter properly and catch the people responsible. If there are cameras or any other evidence that can assist with the investigation, I hope it will help police identify the culprits. We are hoping that the stolen taps can be recovered and that the damage to the wudhu khana can be repaired as soon as possible. It is really sad that the Mosque has been targeted in this way and I hope the people responsible will be brought to justice.”
Riyan Chetty of Bengal Street, told the Laudium Sun, “I heard about the theft at the nearby Mosque and honestly, it is very upsetting to hear that thieves would target a place of worship. A Mosque should be a place that people can enter peacefully to pray, reflect and feel safe, so it is disturbing that criminals have become bold enough to break in and steal property from such a sacred place. What concerns me most is the attitude behind this type of crime. It seems that some criminals no longer care where they commit theft or who may be affected by their actions. When a place used by the community is targeted, everyone feels the impact because the damage does not only affect the people managing the Mosque. It affects worshippers and residents who depend on the facilities being available when they come to pray. This incident also makes me worried about the wider security situation in our community. If criminals feel confident enough to enter a Mosque, then ordinary residents have every reason to be concerned about their homes, businesses, cars and other belongings. We seem to be reaching a point where residents feel that they have to constantly look over their shoulders because they are unsure who be attacked next. I believe that the local police, CPF and politicians need to take reports of crime seriously. Residents want to see proper investigations and appropriate action against those who are responsible. Things that should be clearly wrong are becoming normalised. This is a very dangerous situation for any community because it can create a feeling that there are no consequences for bad behaviour. It is time that the community needs to see visible results when serious incidents of crime are reported. If criminals are caught and dealt with through the proper legal process, it can restore confidence and show residents that crime will not simply be tolerated There should also be more visible police patrols and searches done on all suspicious people walking the streets late at night.”
Mohammed Ebrahim (Bhai), of Agra Street East, told the Laudium Sun, “It is really disappointing that a theft has occurred at a religious place, but I hope it will encourage the community to become more alert and united. I hope the police will increase patrols and investigate this case of theft thoroughly, identify those responsible and ensure that justice follows through the proper process. Most importantly, I hope we can get back to a situation where residents feel safe and where places of worship are treated with the respect they deserve.”