While the local police, the Laudium CPF and ANC Councillor Naeem Patel (an Exco member of the CPF and a member of the ANC PCO in Centurion) are clearly failing residents concerning the ongoing crime in the area, residents continue to live in fear, having sleepless nights.
Unfortunately, neither the local police nor the CPF have the courtesy to keep residents informed about common crime trends or even crime stats on at least a weekly basis, so that residents are at least warned of threats of crime in the area.
This follows the Laudium Sun receiving reports this week from concerned members of the community, regarding at least two incidents of crime, committed within days of each other, where two criminals were spotted on the roofs of both houses, at around the same time of the night. The thieves were spotted on the roof of a house on Taj Street in Laudium, the previous Wednesday night shortly after 11pm. The pair of thieves were believed to be trying to gain entry into the house from the roof of the property of renowned retired doctor, Ebrahim Hassim.
Dr Ebrahim Hassim of Taj Street, told the Laudium Sun, ”I was sleeping at that time when the incident occurred. I suddenly woke up after hearing some noises coming from the roof of my house and I immediately became scared. I started screaming because I did not know what was happening. After that, I heard a lot of noise on the roof. This made me suspicious and extremely worried about my safety. I then heard sounds of one or two persons jumping down from the roof and running away. I could hear the persons moving away, and I realised that the intruders had seemingly tried to gain access to my house from the roof. Fortunately, nothing happened to me as they did not get into my house. However, the incident has left me extremely concerned, because I should feel safe in my own home. The crime situation in Laudium is becoming far too serious and I believe something needs to be done urgently to stop the surge. I have lived in this community for many years and it is very concerning to see the level of crime increasing. People should not have to be afraid when they are sleeping in their own homes at night. The thing that disappointed me the most though, was what happened after the incident. I called the Laudium Police Station immediately because I was scared and wanted police officers to come and inspect my house, to make sure that the criminals were not still on my property. I called them several times, but nobody came to my place. I was expecting the police to respond because I had just experienced an illegal invasion to my property and what appeared to be an attempted housebreaking. I find this very concerning because this is not the first time I have experienced difficulties when contacting the Laudium Police Station. At times it seems that my calls for assistance are simply just ignored, or I am told that officers will come to my house, but they never arrive. I believe residents deserve a proper response from the police when they report a serious incident, especially when they are frightened and believe someone had trespassed into their property and are attempting to enter their home. I am also concerned about what I perceive as possible discrimination against members of the Indian community when they seek assistance from the police. I believe this matter needs to be investigated properly because everyone deserves equal treatment and protection, regardless of their background. There is a serious lack of security in Laudium and the increasing crime is making residents feel unsafe. I am extremely disappointed with the response I received from the Laudium Police Station, and I hope the authorities will take these concerns seriously and ensure that residents receive the protection and assistance they deserve.”
Bharat Dollabh, also of Taj Street, told the Laudium Sun, ”I am not happy at all with the amount of crime that is taking place in our community. I feel that the peace and safety that residents enjoyed in the past is slowly disappearing and this is becoming a serious concern for people living in Laudium. I believe the community is facing a difficult situation because crime is affecting the way people live their daily lives. We are forced to live behind high walls and fencing and are even afraid to go out at night. When residents constantly hear about criminal incidents happening in different parts of the area, it creates a sense of uncertainty. People should be able to live in their community without constantly worrying about what could happen next. I am particularly concerned about the role of law enforcement and the CPF Community Patrollers. In my view, they are failing the community badly at a time when residents need visible and effective protection. We need stronger efforts to prevent crime instead of only reacting after something has already happened. The presence of law enforcement should give residents confidence that their streets and homes are being protected. Over the years, I have heard many politicians, and community leaders speak about fighting crime and making our communities safer. We have heard promises that action will be taken, but I think residents need to see meaningful results on the ground. People are tired of hearing speeches and promises when they continue to experience crime themselves or within their own neighbourhoods. If you look around Laudium and speak to people, you will understand how concerned the community has become. Laudium is fast getting a bad name for the high crime in the area, even from those living outside our community, which is a serious problem as even visitors are afraid to come to Laudium. The residents of Laudium comprise a community where our families have built their homes, businesses and lives, and we should not allow crime to define our area. The reality is that we are the people living here every day, and we are the ones who have to deal with the consequences when crime increases. We cannot simply ignore what is happening around us. Residents deserve to see stronger cooperation between law enforcement, community patrollers, community leaders and residents themselves.”
