Being at their ‘wits end’ concerning the ongoing crime in the area, the local police refuse to divulge stats and details of crime on a weekly or even a monthly basis, so that residents can at least be aware and take or try to take the necessary precautions to be safer.
This follows yet more incidents of crime reported to the Laudium Sun this week by concerned residents.
In one of the latest incidents, a pair of thieves entered the Moeder Street, Erasmia property of Pastor Kevin Naicker, this past Saturday night (March 14), at around 7pm.
Pastor Naicker of the Bethesda Revival Church in Laudium, who resides on Moeder Street, told the Laudium Sun, “This is a very serious matter. On Saturday evening I was returning home from Bryanston. My son and daughter-in-law, Brandon and Jaylen, just got home from an event, when Brandon called me at around 7:12pm, while I was entering Erasmia and told me that there were two males inside our property. I rushed home as quickly as possible.
Brandon arrived home at 7:10pm and according to our CCTV footage, the two culprits were already inside our yard at 7:08pm. Brandon said when he arrived home, he opened the main house, switched on the lights and drew the curtains, which probably disturbed the intruders. While Brandon was inside the house, Jaylen, my daughter-in-law, went towards the back of the house and noticed a person jumping over into the neighbour’s property.
When I arrived, I looked around the property and checked the neighbour’s yard to make sure there was nobody there, but we could not find anyone. This situation has left us with a lot of uncertainty, anxiety and turmoil. It is very frightening. We do not know who these intruders were or why they entered our property or what their plans were. My suspicion is that they came to steal and possibly break into the house because they knew that there was no one at home at the time.
While checking my yard, I found a crowbar, which I strongly suspect the thieves had brought to break into my house, but left it while they rushed out, after being disturbed. It did not seem like anything was stolen from my yard and I sincerely thank each one of you for your blessings.”
Pastor Naicker continued, “What makes it even more alarming is that we have a remote-controlled gate and high walls around the property, yet these intruders still managed to enter the property. According to the CCTV footage, they entered the property at 7:08pm and the footage clearly shows two male figures inside the yard. This is very scary. It creates fear and uncertainty for our family. It also reflects the reality of the times we are living in.
Even with gates and high walls, criminals are still able to enter our properties. We strongly believe there should be stricter security measures implemented as a community. Since we have a gated community, there should be better control of people entering on foot. There must also be more police patrols and visibility in the area. At the moment, it is very rare to see a police vehicle patrolling our streets.
Our community needs to be safer. We need regular police patrols and stronger security measures. Neighbours also need to come together, work closely and look out for each other. Residents must remain vigilant and aware of who is moving around in the neighbourhood. Many people walk past the area every day and we do not know who they are.
There is no proper access control or identification at the gates. There should be a system where visitors identify themselves before entering and residents should be notified if someone is coming to their property. More community activities and awareness programmes should also be introduced to strengthen neighbourhood safety.
My biggest worry is what could have happened if we had been inside the house at that time. What if they had entered a property where elderly people were alone and unable to defend themselves or move quickly? That is a very frightening thought and it shows why stronger safety measures are urgently needed.”
Johaan Visser of Moeder Street, told the Laudium Sun, “This is really scary. If these criminals have the guts to break into the house of Pastor Kevin Naicker, then who are we safe from? It seems criminals don’t believe in God or religion, but still, I ask myself how someone could even think about breaking into the house of a person of God.
Pastor Naicker is a well-known and respected person; everyone in the community knows him. I believe even the thieves who came to target his home, know him. If those people had asked for food or help, I’m certain Pastor Naicker would have given it willingly.
All this crime needs to stop. A lot of crime is happening because of the way our community operates. Many undocumented foreigners from Malawi and other countries are being hired at homes in the area because of cheap labour. They know exactly who is at home or who is not.
What is worse is that we do not have an effective police force to depend on as they are nowhere to be found. I haven’t seen an Erasmia Police van patrolling our area for a long time, especially at night. The Erasmia Police Station might as well be closed and locked because they are completely useless. Our community is being left vulnerable.
Everyone is trying to live their lives peacefully and work hard, but criminals continue to take advantage of the situation. We need more visibility, more action, and more protection. This isn’t just about one home or one family; it’s about the safety and peace of the entire Erasmia community. People shouldn’t have to live in fear in their own neighborhoods. Something has to change before it’s too late.”
Kiruben Naidoo, also of Moeder Street, told the Laudium Sun, “The high crime rate in our area must stop. We have had enough. People are living in constant fear and we’ve seen far too many break-ins on our streets. Families shouldn’t have to worry about whether their homes are safe or if someone will try to steal from them while they are inside or gone out.
It’s becoming unbearable for residents who just want to live peacefully and raise their children without fear. As a community we need to take a strong and united action. We must look out for one another, report suspicious activity and hold the officials and politicians responsible and accountable. We cannot rely on empty promises or tolerate absent police patrols.”