The crime-ravaged community of Ha-Mashau Bodwe is sending out a cry for help after several residents were robbed of money, food and clothes by unknown suspects recently. These incidents have prompted a large number of the community structures, including the community civic and police forums, to hold community meetings with the Levubu SAPS in an attempt to normalise the situation.
Residents at the village's new stands are left with no option but to group themselves, leaving their homes to go and sleep at relatives' houses, since they no longer feel safe because of the rising crime.
During a recent meeting held at the Mashau Pull Together Grounds, residents complained that more than eight homes had been burgled recently. The residents said that crime in their village had gone out of control and that the local police was not doing enough to combat it.
According to one of the crime victims, who wished to remain anonymous, the suspects entered his home by force and smashed his windows and doors with a spade. He said that the suspects demanded money as they knew him as the treasurer of the local ZCC church branch's funeral policy (Kganya).
"About four gunmen came at around 01:20 in the morning. First, they wanted to rob my older brother, but they were looking for me because it seemed like they wanted money from me. Fortunately, I did not have any money, so they left," he said.
According to community activist Mr Given Ramanugu, the community members are being terrorised with no solution from the local police in place. "The Levubu police are not well equipped to deal with this type of crime. They are treating these cases as housebreakings, while our community keeps suffering at the hands of these criminals. The police are not helping us fight the scourge of crime in our area," he said.
According to Vhakoma Vho-Joseph Sinogo, criminals appear to be fed information by some unknown residents. "We are suspecting that someone from this community might be feeding them with information. After robbing residents, they run into the mountains and bushes to hide themselves, then come back at night and continue with their robbing," he said.
Sergeant Vhonani Masia of the Levubu Police Station denied the allegations that the police were not doing enough to combat crime. "We are patrolling the area at night and community members are advised to blow the whistle to alert each other too when there's crime happening," he said.