The stabbing of a 51-year-old man in Oakford on Sunday has sparked outrage among the community of Verulam who believe they are not safe regardless of whether they are out on the street or in their own homes.
The man was just one of the six victims held up in a church by armed robbers. One of the first responders, Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) said they arrived on scene to find one of the victim’s bleeding from his injuries. Rusa spokesperson, Prem Balram said it was established that four suspects entered the church and held up the occupants, demanding valueables.
“They repeatedly stabbed one of the victims before locking them up in a room and robbing them of their cellphones and wallets. They then broke into an office and stole a TV before fleeing on foot in an unknown direction. The injured male was treated for his injuries on scene and then transported to hospital by ambulance,” said Balram.
Verulam SAPS communications officer, Captain Henry Kisten confirmed the incident. He said: “A case of robbery with aggravating circumstances was reported to the station and is currently under investigation.”
Verulam Community Police Forum Chairperson, Rachel Wilkin said this kind of behaviour cannot be condoned. She said ”While it is not my mandate to speculate on the motives for these sorts of crime, I have no hesitation in commenting on the devastating effect that it has on the moral climate in Verulam. Our communities are just beginning to recover and rebuild from the detrimental effects of Covid-19 and the unrest. Now, we find that we are increasingly unsafe even in our own homes, places of work and even worship! The violent crime is having a toxic effect on our communities and will impact our local economy.”
Wilkin said due the high crime rates in the area, a number of residents are moving out of Verulam. She said: “Those who have the option will be looking away from Verulam to invest their time and resources as no one wants to be exposed to continuous risk. Neither do we want our children growing up in a climate of uncertainty and fear. If these depressing trends are allowed to continue, we may witness an exodus of the law-abiding citizens from our town and the onset of social degradation that is already threatening our CBD. The residents of Verulam need to decide what kind of future we want for our town and start acting accordingly. Reporting of crime and known criminals is every citizen’s responsibility. Someone somewhere knows something that will help in police investigations. Please step up and be a part of the solution.”
Maxine Veerasamy, a resident of Verulam, said she feels unsafe in the community irrespective of the time or day. “Its not uncommon to hear of people being shot or stabbed here. Crime is out of control. Last week two men were violently killed while just sitting in their car. Their car was covered in bullet holes. Why did the killing have to be so violent? A stray bullet could have killed any innocent person just unlucky enough to be standing in the way. We know the police are doing all they can. They’re under-staffed and just can’t control crime in Verulam. How much more violent crime does this community need to suffer before something is done?”
