By Nkosenhle Sibisi
Asherville residents are concerned over the high rate of crime in the area, with hijackings, home invasions and theft out of motor vehicles being reported as the most common.
Imraan Vorajee, Chairperson of Asherville Community Police Forum (CPF), said that crime is a huge issue in their community and that he had also recently experienced an incident where some of his items were stolen.
“There’s always an increase during winter. Mostly theft out of motor vehicles, theft of motor vehicles, theft from our properties such as clothing off the lines, gas cylinders, bicycles, copper pipes and anything that thieves see value in. I had an incident on Wednesday, 10 August, when the guys broke the wall to steal clothes and towels from my washing line. Triggers of crime differ. As long as there’s an opportunity, they’ll take a chance,” said Vorajee.
He said that in an effort to fight crime, patrollers do what they can with limited resources and that CPF members are volunteers who use their own cars, fuel and time; all while risking their lives in the process.
“All the government does is give us glorified car-guard vests now and again. Patrollers should be given proper training and resources to fight crime. Our mandate is very limited – eyes and ears of the SAPS. Sadly, the SAPS themselves are under-resourced or understaffed and they cannot fight crime on their own – they need us. That’s a fact we witnessed during the riots last year. CPFs saved the country from total destruction and should be given more power and resources to assist this country,” he said.
Vorajee said that the community needs to “catch a wake-up call” and urged them to play their part. He also commended them for rallying together during the July 2021 riots.
“The CPF has been in existence for many years and when we ask for assistance there’s just a handful of people who heed the call. However, I must mention that during the riots, the community did rally together and secured the area but crime is something that takes place on a daily basis and we cannot let our guard down. I understand the risks involved but the reality is that if we don’t do it, who will?” said Vorajee.
According to Vorajee, the amount of vagrants and people scouting in the area is troubling and is a direct result of the availability of drugs. “The big problem is the influx of vagrants or ‘paras’ in the area. This is a direct result of the availability of drugs in the area, which unfortunately has been rife for a long time now. Unfortunately, we don’t see any solution being provided any time soon,” said Vorajee.
He urged people in the nearby informal settlements to join the CPF and be a part of the fight against crime in the community. “The people in the informal dwellings also need to join the CPF and be a part of fighting crime, sadly the community doesn’t hand over criminals who run through the settlements or give us information regarding criminals. Most of the petty theft guys run into the informal settlements, namely the Lacey Road and Georgehill Road settlements,” concluded Vorajee.
Kody Chetty, a resident, said that houses around the vacant land on upper Clayton Road have been riddled with petty theft and related crimes. Chetty said that the vacant land is overgrown and infested with vermin, illegal dumping and vagrants who have made little tunnels and covered places in which to hide.
“It is also used by prostitutes and drug abusers, including school kids. The municipality has done nothing to maintain this area, nor have they made any attempt to fence it off. The CPF have sighted many criminals who have used this bush as a thoroughfare. There is a spate of cable/copper theft in the area and these criminals use that bush to burn the plastic off the cables,” said Chetty, who added that many of these surrounding homes have become infested with rats, cockroaches and other pests, posing a health hazard to both residents and patients of Nu-Shifa Hospital which borders the unkempt bushy land.
Sydenham SAPS communications officer, Constable B Phungula, said that it is important that the community works together with the CPF and the police in order to fight crime. “The community needs to come together and fight this issue because as the police, we can do what we can but without the support of the community, we will never win the fight against crime,” said Cst Phungula.
