Each week, the Laudium Sun, has the unfortunate task of informing local residents of yet more crimes that have taken place in the area, detailing as much info possible relating to the crime, so as to keep residents well informed of the risks in their surroundings and to hopefully encourage residents to take the necessary precautions and be more vigilant.
However, it seems that the one issue that the Laudium Sun keeps on stressing to our readers as a warning or advice, seemingly is not taken seriously by all, and this concerns the employment of domestic workers. Time and again, the Laudium Sun has appealed to our readers, to do a security check with the police before hiring a prospective domestic worker and importantly to make a few copies of their ID or passport, together with fingerprints and a fresh set of photos and details of their friends etc. The domestic worker should be made aware that the extra copies would be kept for safe keeping at another place, such as by a relative or friend. The reason is that there were a number of cases whereby a domestic worker, together with accomplices attacked the household and then while ransacking the house for valuables, also stole their own documents, before leaving with the gang.
In the latest incident of house robbery, where the domestic worker has been implicated, a home on 15th Ave was attacked by an armed gang last Friday afternoon, at around 3pm. Muhammad Arif, the owner of the property told the Laudium Sun, “I am usually at home on a Friday afternoon, but on that day, I had to go somewhere to get some work done. I think I left at around 2:30 in the afternoon and all seemed fine when I left. The property has a few small units and in one of the units, there was a tenant and her domestic worker. All we know is that the domestic worker is from Malawi and she said her name was Zainub. There was no documents of hers. She had been hired about two months back by the tenant, Banu. I was told by my tenant that as soon as I left, two black guys suddenly appeared inside her housing unit. We don’t know how they got in, as the front gate and door were locked. They then tied up the Indian woman, Banu, but not the domestic worker. They seemed to know the domestic worker and were nice to her. The thugs beat up the Indian woman and even cut her fingers, placing a knife on her neck, threatening to kill her, if she did not tell them where her husband kept his money. Banu gave them all the money she had and pleaded with them to leave her alone, but they were ruthless and beat her more. They ransacked Banu’s house. They also took some jewelry and her necklace and three cellphones. It is obvious that this was an inside job and we told the police about the domestic worker, who we believe opened the doors for the thugs. But, they refused to question her or arrest her. Now she is missing. The police were just too slow. I bet she has escaped back to Malawi, and now they won’t even find her. After a while she will probably return to SA, without properly coming through the borders and then work in another area and rob other people and then go back to Malawi again. The police are failing us. I don’t expect much from them now.”
Sergeant Simon Chokoe, of the Laudium SAPS, said, “A case of house robbery has been opened and the investigation is ongoing. We ask the complainant to be patient as we are doing our best to apprehend the suspects.”
