Residents of Laudium Ext 3 are once more desperately calling on the local police to increase visible policing, as crime continues unabated in the area.
This, despite the ‘existence’ of a CPF in Laudium, which is supposed to address the concerns of the community regarding crime, with the local police and give feedback to the community on the outcome. Instead, the CPF seems to be more a mere show, with its Chairperson, Shaheen Wahab, seemingly being the ‘bodyguard’ of Cllr Patel, with the pair busy posting photos of themselves all over, while residents suffer sleepless nights in fear of being attacked by criminals.
In one of the latest incidents of crime in the area, a car was stolen outside the Laudium Clinic (Laudium Hospital) on Bengal Street, in broad daylight. The theft which took place the previous Thursday at around 2pm, has left the owner in shock and hating Laudium, as she believed that her car was safe, when she parked it. The blue Toyota Etios with registration number CK 91 RP GP which belongs to Salome Makgotlee, was discovered stolen when she came out from the clinic.
Salome, a resident of Gerhardsville, told the Laudium Sun, “I came to the Laudium Clinic at around 12pm and parked my car outside. When I came out of the clinic, I discovered that my car was gone. I could not believe it and thus searched all over the parking area, hoping that I had forgotten where exactly I parked my car. But the car was nowhere to be found. That’s when I realised it had been stolen. I’m so shocked—how can a car be stolen in broad
daylight, especially when the area is full of people? I’m really lost for words. The crime in Laudium is terrible. I truly hate this place because it feels so unsafe. I just came to the clinic and my car was stolen. Now people will be scared to come here, fearing the thieves. I don’t know who to suspect, but just a day before my car was stolen—on the Wednesday—I received a phone call from a stranger. They demanded money and even sent pictures of my car to my phone. They threatened that if I didn’t pay, my car would be stolen. I reported the incident to the Laudium SAPS and they traced the number of the call. It was registered under an Indian name, so I suspect that the people who stole my car might be Indian. I just want my car back. I would really appreciate any information that could help me find it. I saved up for a long time to buy this car and in just a second, it was gone. This is truly horrible. I must say that Laudium has become a very unsafe place to live in or even just visit.”
Thutchana Chetty, a resident of Bengal Street, told the Laudium Sun, “Crime in Laudium is out of control and the recent car theft right in front of the Laudium Clinic is truly shocking. Now, even going to the clinic has become scary—people are worried whether their cars will still be there when they come out. We need more police patrollers in our area. I also believe that the private security guards at the clinic need to be more alert. If they were actively patrolling the parking area, this might not have happened. We need more eyes and ears in our community—not more showboating from the Laudium SAPS or community leaders. It’s time for real action, not empty promises.”
Asim Khan, a patient who visited the Laudium Clinic, told the Laudium Sun, “Crime in Laudium and Erasmia is truly frightening. We urgently need better protection in our area. If we want to live safe and peaceful lives, we need stronger police presence and private security and a capable leader who can take real action to protect our community, not just talk.”
