The old and ongoing question in the Laudium area, which remains unanswered, is ‘Who guards the guards’?
This follows continuous attacks on security guards who are meant to be protecting the community and their property in the area. Recently there has been an upsurge in attacks against security guards meant to be protecting Council owned structures that are a source of service to the community living in the area. One of the places that has often been hit by criminals is the huge power sub station at the corner of 5th Ave and Cuprene Str, in Laudium known as the ‘Claudius Sub Power Station’. There have been numerous reports of the guards on duty at the sub
station contracted by the Council, being attacked by gangs of at least 6 thugs with the guards complaining to the Laudium Sun each time thereafter, that they are ill equipped and do not have the basic equipment such as a firearm to protect themselves or the property. Complaints
have also surfaced of the Council not fixing broken fencing and installing adequate lighting at the station. This now follows a similar complaint whereby the Council is accused of neglecting the fixing of broken fencing at the Laudium Sports Grounds on 19th Ave. The security guard contracted by the Council was attacked and robbed whilst on duty at the grounds last Tuesday (Aug 20) evening. Lungwane Lungwane who has
been posted by the City of Tshwane as a security guard at the stadium for some time now, told the Laudium Sun, “This has not been the first time that an incident like this happened at the stadium. Myself and the other guards have been pleading for a long time for the City to fix the broken fences at the stadium. On Tuesday night at around 7pm, a group of guys approached me when I was sitting in my guard box at the entrance to the stadium. These guys were Zimbabweans as I heard how they were speaking. They beat me up and then searched me, stealing my cellphone, my wallet and all other belongings that I had with me. We have been pleading for a long time for the Council to fix the main gate
leading into the stadium so that we could at least close the gate at night. There are also a lot of places where the fence is broken and these thieves are using the broken fence as a getaway after committing crime, because they easily disappear into the bush, behind the grounds. I am really scared because we don’t know when the next set of criminals is The broken fencing which criminals are using as a getaway after committing crime. coming to attack us again. Crime is getting out of hand and we need the community to assist us in calling on the Council to fix the problem. We have also had a water leak for over two years on the grounds. We logged complaints asking the Municipality to fix this leak and we have had no luck in their response.”
Petroos Mashiane who owns a small exhaust fixing place just outside the stadium told the Laudium Sun, “Crime is getting very bad in Laudium and we are working hard to earn a living. These criminals are making a living from stealing our hard earned money. We sit in the sun all day and wait for a customers to come so that we can earn an income and these thieves just come take whatever they want and get away with it. This is not fair!”