Once again, residents are advised to do a security check on their staff, especially domestic staff, before hiring them and are also warned not to hire foreigners who do not have work permits. It is common knowledge that in many cases of house robbery or theft, the perpetrators involved are the domestic workers or even the security guards.
This was the hard lesson that a businessman learned after his Malawian domestic worker of two months, allegedly disappeared with a large amount of cash, which was his business takings of two stores, for the past week. The aggrieved and visibly upset businessman clearly wanted the culprit caught and for justice to prevail for the crime committed. So, out of desperation, he even posted a R10,000 reward for anyone who had information on his domestic worker’s whereabouts, so that she could be arrested and face prosecution.
Noshaad Ali, a resident at Jewel Heights on the corner of Jewel Street and 13th Ave, Laudium, gave details of his nightmare that started at around 3pm last Monday. He told the Laudium Sun, “On Monday afternoon, I was at work. I have two shops, one in Laudium and the other in Wierda Park, so I work between the two shops. On that afternoon I was at the Wierda Park shop. I then got a call from my sister that our helper at home had suddenly left. I found it strange that she was leaving before month end and not even asking for her wages for the time that she had worked. I immediately left my shop and headed to my flat in Laudium, as I was suspicious that something was not right. When I got to my flat, I found that indeed, she was gone. I then checked my place and realized that she had stolen my locker, where I had kept the money of my two shops takings, for the past week, as I intended to buy stock the next day. I knew where she stayed in Itireleng, so I rushed there with a few friends, but when we got there, her shack was locked. I asked her neighbours if they had seen her, but they said that she had not come in for the day. I opened her shack and found her clothes and thankfully her Malawian passport as I had no details of her. She destroyed two other lockers, by forcefully opening them, but there was nothing in those. She then just took the other locker, as I think she could not open it. Unfortunately, that locker had my money in it. I immediately went to the police station to open a case and gave the police her Malawian passport that I found in her shack. She is only 24 years old and had been with us for only two months, as our domestic worker, who had been with us for five years, fell pregnant. She then recommended someone and that someone recommended the suspect, Emma Chikoti to us. I think, there is some group working with Emma, as I was told prior to the eventful day that her boyfriend or friend had come into our flat. I think they were there to scout the flat. She probably went back to Malawi to relax for a year with such a big amount of money she stole. After a year, she will probably come back again into this country and work in another area. It is so easy for these people to come into this country and even to get out without being checked. If anyone can identify her and knows her whereabouts, please alert us on 068 5538 803 or call the police.”
Sergeant Simon Chokoe, of the Laudium SAPS said, “A case of theft has been opened at our station. The police are following leads. Anyone who might have any information about the suspect may come to us so that we can solve this case soon.”
