Crime, violence and unemployment overwhelm families

Several residents we randomly approached for comment around Kathorus revealed that they no longer feel safe even inside the privacy of their homes.

Crime and the growing rampant acts of violence and general lawlessness were cited, by many, as among the endless reasons why almost every resident in their communities are feeling terrified and living under siege.

“It’s like being living in a war zone where you have to look over your shoulder all the time,” said a 75-year-old pensioner who lives alone following the recent death of his wife.

The general feeling that life in the townships is a perpetual horror movie is shared mutually by all those approached, as they all have a sad story to tell the impact of crime on their lives or someone they know.

Stories are abounding of how communities are terrorised by faceless criminals in their homes and neighbourhoods as incidents of house break-in continue to spike.

According to the community around Kathorus, the unspoken belief is that the police are understaffed and seem overwhelmed by crime.

Residents listed the fear of rape as the main fear, followed by spousal and domestic violence crimes and the abuse of the elderly.

The feeling among those interviewed was that some violent crimes often remain undetected and unexposed to the police because they happen indoors and in most cases between the perpetrator and the victim.

To the majority of Kathorus residents surveyed, most of these domestic crimes require greater police vigilance.
Other concerns posed by the residents, especially the elderly, women and children, was the response time of community sector patrol vehicles.

Members of the community complain that they are not visible and are not easily accessible to members of the public.

For most women, including the elderly, the fear of rape is paramount. Many of the young women described it being a fearful endeavour just to venture.

They said the chance of being attacked by criminals in their neighbourhoods is likely to escalate unless the police take back the streets from criminals.

A closer look at domestic violence revealed that abuse of the elderly is often hidden. A pensioner described herself as one of the “thousands” of elderly pensioners who are abused by their own families,

Some of them described themselves as being bullied to pay out their pension to family members. Grandchildren were identified as the worst culprits.

SAPS media spokesperson for the Vosloorus SAPS, Capt Piet Rossouw, expressed his sympathy with the members of the public. He explained that the current adverse economic situation, which has led to the decline in the economy, has had a huge impact on society in general.

Rossouw urged communities to form structures that would help fight some of the negative influences that have affected them.

“Structures such as CPF and neighbourhood watches can help communities and families benefit from such collective efforts,” Rossouw, said.