Given the ongoing crime that’s rampant throughout the country and more so in the Laudium area, driving at night on Laudium Streets is certainly not safe. Walking on the streets of Laudium during the day has also proven to be unsafe, but walking the streets of Laudium at night is most certainly dangerous and in fact as many would say, a big ‘No No’.
This is what Laudium resident, Nasir Mahmood, of 37th Avenue, learned the hard way, when he was attacked by a gang of armed thugs, as he walked from a local business shopping area to his home, last Monday at around 8:30 at night. Nasir told the Laudium Sun, “On Monday night, I visited some friends at Fatima Centre on Bengal Street. I then left for home at around 8:30pm and as I approached cnr 40th Avenue and Bengal Street, I saw four guys coming from the Military Road side, onto 40th Avenue. I proceeded along Bengal Street, but they followed me. When I was walking on the opposite side between Himalaya Heights and Bangladesh Heights, the area was dark because there was no lighting there. Suddenly, I could hear these guys coming closer to me and when I turned around, I saw them walking fast towards me. When they caught up with me, they grabbed me and demanded that I give them my phone and money. But, the next thing they attacked me, and started searching me. They stole everything I had; my two cell phones and my wallet with money in it. Then, one guy after searching me further, noticed a ring on my finger. He tried pulling it off but failed. He demanded that I give him my ring and when I told him that they had already taken all my valuables and that I could not give them my ring as it had sentimental value, one of the other guys pointed a firearm at me and threatened to shoot me. But, I was adamant and told him that he could rather shoot me, as I was not prepared to give him my ring. Just then, another guy pulled out a knife and stabbed me on my arm. I fell a bit backward and the guy came forward and was about to stab me in my heart, which made me think that they were going to kill me. I blocked him with my arm, but he managed to stab me in my arm again. Thankfully, these thugs saw a car coming and ran away towards Military Road. I chased after them and they ran into Onyx Street in White Blocks. I could not follow them further as my arm was bleeding too much, so I decided to rather get home. However, at the corner of 37th Ave and Bengal Street, near my house, I fell down as I became really weak and started feeling dizzy. Fortunately, my neighbor spotted me and immediately called my brother. I was taken to the hospital and the police station. I am so thankful that my neighbor saw me, otherwise I could have died lying outside in the cold night and losing blood. I don’t think the guys who attacked me were nyaopes. I know the nyaope guys of Laudium, I have lived long enough in this place. These guys were racially mixed, blacks and Indians, and one of them even spoke in Afrikaans, telling me to ‘give him the ring’. I’m very upset, as now I can’t even work. I had to leave Laudium and go live with my family in Erasmia, as I won’t manage to pay rent anymore. This high crime is really bad for Laudium residents. I hope that by reading about the attack on me, it will give the people of Laudium a wake-up call. These thugs are becoming too dangerous now.”
Sergeant Simon Chokoe, of the Laudium SAPS, said, “A case of robbery with a knife was opened and the police are following all leads. Our patrolling team are always at work. I urge the community not to walk alone at night.”
