Despite several pleas from the business community in the Laudium CBD, for local police to increase visibility in the area, their pleas remain ignored and are met with deaf ears by police. Crime in the CBD continues to leave shoppers hesitant to come into the area as they are also hounded by nyaopes, acting as ‘car guards’, demanding money from them.
Businesses have, for long, been asking authorities to act against the nyaopes and also to curb the increase of both petty and serious crime in the area. Repeated calls by businesses for police to have a mobile charge office placed in the CBD during the day and for the Tshwane Council to keep to their promise made years back to install CCTV cameras in the CBD, are just some of the many requests, which have been ignored by the authorities.
This follows another crime in the area, where armed thugs robbed a businessman in the CBD recently. Seemingly, it is the same armed gang of three, that has been terrorising business owners in the area, as even the vehicle description is similar to that in other incidents, a white VW Polo, yet police have not made any statement warning residents to be on the lookout for the car.
Owner of the cellphone business on Tangerine Street, Khurram Munir (Jat Pur Wala) formerly from India, told the Laudium Sun that he is traumatised and feels unsafe after being attacked outside his shop, Wali Traders, last Friday (July 8) at around 11:00 in the morning. It is understood that three Black armed thugs parked their white VW Polo, on the opposite side of the street.
Khurram explained further, “It was on Friday morning at around 11:00 am when I, together with my shop assistant, was standing outside our cellphone shop, as I was waiting for the key that my partner was going to bring. Whilst waiting, I noticed three Black guys in a white VW Polo, parking opposite our shop. Two guys then got off the car and walked across the street and were coming towards the shop. As they came nearer, one of the guys, in a second, ran towards me with a gun pointing and threatened to shoot me if I made a noise. My assistant somehow managed to run away as he was very scared. The other guy then started searching my pockets and took my cellphone, a Samsung Note 10, light black in colour and some cash. I did not resist as I did not want to get hurt or killed. I bought the phone recently and it is worth R7000. Crime in the CBD is really bad. We can’t even stand in front of our shops anymore. The street is so busy during the day, yet these thugs were not scared of walking in front of everyone around, and just robbing me. I think they were driving around to see who they could attack and saw the opportunity when they spotted me waiting in front of the shop. This crime in Laudium must stop, as the place is becoming a gangster field with drugs and all kinds of crime. Laudium is not a safe place anymore. I have not reported the robbery to the police, as they will just waste my time for a statement and then do nothing to catch the criminals. There is no law and order in this place.”
Shop assistant Pinkesh Patel, told the Laudium Sun, “I was with Khurram at that time, when the incident happened. I was very frightened. There were three Black guys who came in a white car and parked opposite our shop. I noticed them coming towards our shop, but I thought they wanted to buy from our shop. We were waiting in front of our shop to open. Suddenly, one monster from that car ran towards Khurram and pointed him with a gun and took his cell phone. Whilst the two thugs were busy with him, I was really scared, so I managed to run away, before they could come to me. I am glad that they did not shoot any of us.”
Sergeant Simon Chokoe, of the Laudium SAPS, told the Laudium Sun, “We are not aware of the robbery as we did not receive any complaint. Once more, my appeal to the community is to report all crime to the police, so that we can arrest the criminals and make the area safer.”
