A notorious pathway that is used by criminals to escape into the informal settlements bordering Phoenix has left residents of Palmview in the grip of fear. In recent weeks, Palmview has been hit by a spate of robberies by brazen criminals targeting homes in broad daylight.
Residents said that they feel unsafe and are living in constant fear of their lives. They are demanding that the pathway be closed off completely. Speaking to the Phoenix Tabloid, Evepalm resident, Rosie Govender, who lives adjacent to the notorious pathway said: “We are living like animals in a cage, we have to lock ourselves in because we are fearful of being attacked or robbed.
“The residents in this area are targeted daily, if it’s not our clothes being stolen from the line, it’s our water meters, or we are accosted with knives by brazen criminals demanding our personal belongings on the streets and from our homes. Just this morning while I was changing my grandchild, a man put his hand through the window to see what he could grab and steal. How do we live like this? we cannot even keep our windows open during the hot weather because its an invite for criminals to do as they please.”
Another resident, Gita Singh said her water meter has been stolen more than three times in past few months. “I’ve stopped drying my clothes on the line because every time I do so, they mysteriously disappear. Criminals walk freely in our yards, at any given time, residents are stabbed daily if they do not cooperate with these criminals. Our neighbour’s were recently accosted and threatened with knives at their home, thankfully, no one was assaulted or injured. We have to keep looking over our shoulders and keep our eyes and ears open because anything can happen to us. This has been going on for years, we’ve been suffering in silence for far too and refuse to live like this any longer. We want this pathway sealed off completely before an innocent life is lost.”
Veteran community leader, Vivian Pillay said: “Being a member of the CPF and representative of the street committees in the Fullpalm, I will take this matter up to our Sector 5 CPF meeting and request our officials to have meeting with the residents and see what solutions we can come up with, in especially trying to seal off this entrance and exit that is causing a problem in this area. It is imperative to take preventative measures before a tragedy can happen. We cannot allow members of the community, especially senior citizens to live in fear like animals in a cage. People need freedom, they need to socialise and be able to dry their clothes outside without having to fear for their lives,” said Pillay.
Phoenix Community Policing Forum Cluster Chairperson, Umesh Singh, who is aware of pathways being used as a quick means of access and escape routes, said: “We are aware of areas and pathways that are being used as an escape route. Together with the necessary stakeholders, such as the SAPS and CPF, we will be attending to this matter as soon as possible. Criminals look for people who are not paying attention to their surroundings and then use the element of surprise to their advantage. We are discussing possible solutions and we urge residents to be cautious during these times and report suspicious behaviour to your local SAPS and CPF members.”
Singh said that it is extremely important to report suspicious behaviour as this helps patrollers to be aware of vagrants and can monitor them. A few years ago, residents from the nearby roads in Palmview, erected a fence to safeguard themselves from criminal elements, after suffering for years from escalating crime such as robberies, burglaries and stabbings.
