Residents in Laudium have once more been complaining about poor service delivery in the area, which they say is also contributing towards the high crime rate in the area.
One of the ongoing complaints has been the non-functioning streetlights and the overgrown bushes and dumping sites which residents say is a health hazard and also the cause of many crimes taking place in the area.
This follows a local teenager, (whose name is known to the Laudium Sun, but has been withheld at this stage, on the request of a
family member) driving in a red BMW being kidnapped this past Tuesday night (Nov 5) at around 10pm, after thugs placed rocks at the corner of 2nd Ave & Cuprene Str in Laudium. The area is a haven for criminal activities as it remains dark due to streetlights not working for years, with some of the light fittings and poles having being stolen. In addition, thick bushes and overgrown trees surround the area, making it easy for criminals to hide there.
It is understood that the motorist’s car crashed into a ditch near the corner, whereafter four black thugs grabbed the teenager out of his car and forced him into a ‘black’ car. The thugs then demanded that his parents make an e-Wallet transfer. While 2 of the thugs kept watch over the victim near the Zwartkop Racing Track, 2 others went to an ATM in Erasmia to draw money. It was then that family members and friends who were in search of the teenager, spotted two suspicious persons near the ATM and immediately notified the private security and police who then nabbed the pair of thugs. The pair then took the police to where the victim was being held, but by that time the other two thugs had fled and fortunately the teenager was rescued unharmed, but left highly traumatised. It is believed that 2 of the thugs are from the nearby Mooiplaas informal settlement & the other two are from Olivenhoutbosch. One of two thugs who was arrested is believed to be an illegal foreigner.
*Recently a resident from Eldoraigne who was traveling back home at night at around 11pm, from Laudium, was attacked on the R55 after thugs also placed rocks on the road. This follows numerous complaints from local residents for the Gauteng Government to fix up the non-functioning streetlights on the R55 and also on Erasmia’s M26.
