Cuprene Street homes certainly seem to be a target of thieves, who are believed to be mainly nyoapes, frequenting the area, as it has become a place of attraction, known for the daily giving out of free food at a local charity institution, in the neighbourhood.
Whilst residents in the area have on several occasions, said that they have no problem with the institution cooking food on a daily basis in order to feed those who are hungry, they have appealed to those in charge of the place, to distribute the food from another point, away from Cuprene Street. Residents in the area claim that there are hundreds of unemployed and desperate people, many from nearby informal settlements, who converge daily into the area, hours before the time of the food distribution and even thereafter, with some causing a nuisance and even watching their homes, for any opportunity to steal. The local CPF was also requested to intervene months back, but to date, the matter has still not been resolved, much to the distress of the residents in the area.
In one of the latest incidents of crime in the area, following a house robbery on Sunday, another home on Cuprene Street was targeted by thieves believed to be nyaopes. Resident, Rajen Padayachey, spoke to the Laudium Sun of his ordeal that took place this past Tuesday (August 17) at around 4:00 in the afternoon. “I went to buy something from Yaseen’s Suprette. Everything seemed fine at home when I left at around 4pm. But, about 10 minutes later, whilst at the café, I got a call from my neighbor, who informed me that there was water leaking from my yard. I was taken aback, as I had just left my house. I started thinking what could have been the cause of so much water leaking at my house, to the point that even my neighbor noticed it. I immediately rushed home and when I got there, I was told again by my neighbour that he saw a guy in the yard, who tried to break into my house, but failed because he could not get the second gate open. The guy then stole the water valve, breaking the pipe which it was connected to, causing the water to leak so much. I had to get a plumber and buy a new water valve and pipe, then move it from the front of the yard and install it inside the house, so that it does not get stolen again. This is not about being against helping the poor and feeding the hungry, it is about our safety and security. There are hundreds of guys hanging around our houses watching us. Many of them also sit opposite the open veld and when we try to ask them who they are waiting for, they give us the cold shoulder and say that it has nothing to do with us, as they are sitting on public property. We have been complaining to the City of Tshwane to cut the trees and long grass in the veld opposite our houses, but to no avail. Our big challenge is also the feeding scheme near us. I know they are doing a good deed by feeding those who are in need, but it has a seriously negative impact for our homes, because we are experiencing crime every now and then, as these guys are watching us with so many of them now coming to our street. Also, after these guys get their food, they throw the lunch packages in front of our homes and we have to clean it. We hope that the distribution point of the feeding scheme will be moved from here. I did not report the criminal incident at my home, to the police, as I know nothing will be done about it anyway.”
Sergeant Simon Chokoe, of the Laudium SAPS said, “I encourage the community to report crime, even if they perceive it as a small matter. This will help the station to understand the crime patterns in the area and where to beef up patrols. Working together, we can stop crime in our area.”
