For years now, residents have been calling on authorities to take stern action against drug peddlers who they say are known to the police and yet are able to freely sell their merchandise without being arrested, but to no avail. It is commonly known to residents, even to the police, that illicit drugs are freely being sold in Laudium, with drug merchants especially targeting the youth.
Many families have been ruined and homes broken, due to family members being hooked on drugs. Pleas by mothers to the police and even politicians over the years, have done very little to curb the rapidly growing drug problem in Laudium.
In one of the latest pleas for help, an extremely emotional and desperate Belinda Naidoo, mother of a drug victim, who lives at the Laudium Hotel on Tangerine Street, told the Laudium Sun, “I was at home, when I got a call last Sunday that someone was beating my child (Iqsaan Aboo-Cassim) outside a Primrose Street house, opposite the Church, on the corner of 19th Ave, so I rushed there. I was lucky because there were other residents who fortunately got involved and prevented my son from being beaten further, otherwise he would probably have been dead by the time I arrived. This is why I decided to speak to you (the Laudium Sun) so that the community knows what is happening to our children in Laudium.” Belinda alleged, “My son (Iqsaan) used to work for Mobel. He used to steal for him anything that was requested; a car battery or whatever he could find in people’s yards. In return Mobel would give him drugs-Nyaope. At some point, my own son, even stole many things from my house and sold it in order to quench his addiction. When I looked for my things that were stolen, I would find them at Mobel’s house. I realized that Mobel was using my son for his own gains. Whilst the community will see my son as a bad person, the one encouraging my son to steal and taking the stolen goods in exchange for cheap drugs, looks innocent and is sitting comfortably at his house.” Belinda continued to allege, “When Mobel got admitted to a rehab, and then Mobel’s wife Wanika hired my son to continue the stealing work. She also gave my son the nyaope, so that she could control him easily. So, for the first few days when she hired my son, he made good money for her through stealing, but then after the sixth day, Iqsaan ran away with her stock of nyaope. He is an addict, what do you expect from him? After a day, without seeing my son, I heard that Wanika and two of her henchmen were looking for him. A few days later, that Sunday, they found him near Mobel’s house at the corner of Primrose Street and 19 Ave. He was high and could not recognize anyone. The three apparently came in a blue BMW as they were driving around looking for him.” Belinda continued to allege, “They then started beating up my son, hitting him badly, with a knobkerrie. When I got there, they were gone already. My son had to go to hospital as he was bleeding badly, so his father rushed him there. I went to lay a charge at the Laudium Police Station, but I was surprised to find Mobel’s wife and her mother-in-law, opening false charges against my son. When I tried to open a case against the wife and the two others, the police told me to stand outside in the sun. They did not want to attend to my case. Only after I complained to the Station Commander, did the police open our case. I was told that they had opened a case of sexual assault against my son. I knew they were lying because they could not open a case of theft, as he had stolen the illegal drugs, they are feeding to our children here in Laudium. Immediately I asked the police to take the girl who claimed to have been sexually assaulted to hospital, so that she could be examined, but the police refused. For all I care, all these policemen are getting paid by the drug dealers of Laudium. These police are not only failing my child, but many other residents whose children are in problems with drugs. It is very hard to live like this as a parent, who has a drug addicted child who is a problem for the community. The people who are causing the problems for our children are well known, but the police refuse to take action against them. I appeal to the community to help me get help for my son, by sending him to a rehab and also to get justice for my son.”
Mobel and his family were not available for comment on the allegations made against them by Belinda.
Sergeant Simon Chokoe, said, “The South African Police Service is investigating a case of sexual assault which allegedly occurred on 19th Ave Laudium. Police investigation led to the arrest of the 28 year old male suspect. The suspect was arrested and appeared at the Atteridgeville Magistrates Court.”
Iqsaan Aboo Cassim, who was allegedly beaten up by Wanika and two of her accomplices.
Belinda Naidoo, the mother of the alleged drug addict, Iqsaan, said she wants justice
Corner of Primrose Street and 19 Ave, Laudium, where Iqsaan was beaten up
