While Exco members of the Laudium CPF led by Zahid ul-Zama, who is also the chair of the Pakistan-South Africa Association, continue to focus more on politics instead of crime, residents in the area, remain living in fear due to the ongoing crime.
This follows yet another week, with local residents complaining to the Laudium Sun about the unacceptably high crime in the area, for stats purposes, while the CPF and Police remain silent on crime stats for the area. In one of the latest incidents of crime reported, two Black males entered the gated street property of a resident on Taj Street, in Laudium Ext 3, by jumping over the front wall, this past Friday night (August 14) shortly before 7pm. While the homeowner Riyadh Noor Mohammed was inside his home with his family, the thieves stole a number of items from his yard and even from his vehicle, a silver Ford Fiesta. Despite the Laudium CPF collecting monies from the
public for their patrollers, the thieves managed to steal a number of items, including a backpack, two amplifiers and a spare tyre, without being spotted by the patrollers, as they left the premises.
Riyadh told the Laudium Sun: “I am still shocked about the whole incident and I honestly do not have many words to describe how I feel. It was a horrifying experience for me, especially because it happened while I was inside my house with my family, enjoying quality family time. I never expected that while we were sitting inside our home, criminals would enter our yard and steal belongings from my vehicle and yard. At around 7 pm, I went outside to check around the yard, after hearing some strange noises. That is when I immediately noticed that something was wrong. The doors of my silver Ford Fiesta were open and the boot was also open. When I looked inside the vehicle, I realised that several of my belongings were missing. The car’s spare tyre, two amplifiers, a soccer ball and my backpack had all been stolen. It was very upsetting to see that brazen thieves had entered my yard and gone through my vehicle while we were inside the house. I suspect that there may have been at least two guys involved in the theft because of the number of items that were taken. Also, as I got into my yard, I saw two Black guys running away. However, I did not see their faces clearly, so I cannot say for certain who they were or provide a definite description of them. What concerns me most is how they managed to enter a gated street area and get into my yard despite security measures being in place. The street security guard is not stationed far from our home, yet the thieves still managed to enter the property, force open my vehicle and remove several belongings without being
noticed by anyone. This is extremely worrying because residents should feel safe inside their own homes and yards. I am now genuinely worried about my family and our safety. If criminals have the confidence to enter
someone’s yard and steal from a vehicle while the residents are inside the house, then what is stopping them from becoming even more brazen and targeting us in our homes directly? This incident has made me realize that we cannot take our safety for granted anymore. It is also concerning because there are supposedly community patrols and SAPS members patrolling our area, yet incidents like this continue to happen. Residents need stronger security and better protection against crime. This is a serious issue for me as a resident and I believe many other residents in Laudium share the same fear. We need to work together as a community, improve security and ensure that criminals do not feel that they can enter our neighbourhood and do whatever they want without consequences.”
Jay Prakesh, another resident of Taj Street, told the Laudium Sun: “I heard about the theft from one of our neighbour’s yards. It is very disappointing to see another resident in our area becoming a victim of crime. The resident now has to spend money replacing the items that were stolen from his car and his yard, which is an unfair burden for any family. People work hard for their belongings and nobody expects to lose them to greedy criminals. What worries me is the direction in which our community appears to be heading. We have invested in security measures because residents want to feel protected, but incidents like this make people question whether those measures are achieving what they were intended to achieve. Residents should be able to have confidence that the
money they contribute towards the street security gates is being used effectively and that the systems in place are actually making a meaningful difference. The introduction of street gates was supposed to give residents peace of mind. However, if criminals can still find ways to enter an enclosed area and target vehicles, then we have to ask serious questions about the effectiveness of the current security arrangements. It is not enough to have security guards standing at the entrances of these gated areas. There must also be proper monitoring, vigilance and
accountability throughout the area. I am also concerned about the role of the CPF and political leadership in dealing with crime and other problems affecting Laudium. We need leaders who are prepared to listen to residents, take complaints seriously and focus on practical solutions rather than making promises that do not lead to improvements. Accountability should apply to everyone, regardless of their position. For me, the main message is that we cannot simply sit back and allow crime to continue affecting our streets. Residents must stand together and demand better protection, stronger accountability and effective action. Laudium belongs to all of us and we should work together to ensure that our community does not become such an easy target for criminals.”
