Two Phoenix pensioners are living in fear of criminals who frequent the unkempt bushes behind their Caneside home and are often found peeping through the wire fence to get into the property.
Mrs B Raghubeer, 65, a resident of Caneside for over three decades, stated, “We have been living here for the past 35 years and never used to have any issues until the open space behind our house which was once a beautiful play-lot grew into a huge bush. “The past few years have been miserable for us as the bush is being used as a hideout by criminals and we don’t know who else to turn to. Whenever we come out to our garden or need to hang our clothes on the line, there’s always someone inside the bush, peeping through the wire fence to see how they can come into the property.” Raghubeer, who stays with her 82-year-old mother-in-law, said, “Every time we ask them what they want, they say they are looking for scrap, meanwhile they are trying to figure how they can gain access into the house. Previously, we had a break-in where the criminals came in and took all our jewellery and money. We had so many personal belongings outside our home which all got stolen over the years.”
She said although they try to be alert of their surroundings, anything could happen. “Criminals are ruthless; they will attack at any given time to get to what they want. We don’t feel safe and need urgent help. I tried to get help from various councillors over the years but no-one could help us. We were lucky enough to not be at the house when they broke in the first time but may not be so lucky if it happens again. We just want the bush to be attended to so we can feel safe in our home,” she said. Community activist, Vivian Pillay said he was approached by the pensioners for assistance. “I’m always ready to listen and empathise with the community more especially the poor, downtrodden and vulnerable senior citizens. Society and the law enforcement agencies have a responsibility to protect our seniors so that they can enjoy their twilight years in peace. “The eThekwini Municipality should bill developers for neglecting open spaces that belong to them. I have escalated the complaint to the rapid response team from Parks Department for urgent attention.”
