Crime rife in Lewisham: Man (63) brutally assaulted
Police confirmed crime is rife in Lewisham, particularly drugs and gangsterism. Recently, a man in his 60s was brutally assaulted by an alleged drug user.
A 63-year-old man was brutally assaulted following a verbal confrontation with an alleged drug addict, however, this is just one of the many incidents residents of the area have to endure.
Residents of Lewisham are living in fear and losing hope as crime has become the norm.
From gunfights, harassment and drug dealing, these issues according to residents, have gone unchecked and as a result, this enables crime to run rife without any consequences. Earlier this year, the Krugersdorp News reported on a 26-year-old man being assaulted and robbed by alleged gangsters.
The latest victim, Arnold van Wyk, was assaulted on July 14 and sustained horrific injuries.
“I was assisting a friend move out of his home. Soon after arriving, we were being harassed by a man who is known for being violent and causing havoc in the community. What started as a verbal confrontation got physical because we both got into an argument and before I knew it I was on the floor with blood flowing from my head as a result of being hit by a pipe,” Van Wyk said and who has since opened a case at the police station.
Despite reporting this to the police, he believes there is no hope because the police reportedly refuse to help residents who are crippled by crime.
Fellow resident Amanda van der Merwe shared the same sentiment saying she too has lost all hope in the police.
“We have reported many incidents happening several times but never received help. We are not comfortable being outside our homes because we get harassed by drug dealers. We also often have our property damaged because of them.”
Nikita Volschenk added that she remains worried for the safety of her child due to the circumstances surrounding the area.
“At any given day there is an issue we have to deal with. I had watched my child get assaulted on our premises by one of the gang members and nothing was done about it despite our efforts to involve the police. We have filed cases and been given protection orders yet the individuals still harass and exploit the community.”
The News approached Krugersdorp police spokesperson Captain Solomon Sibiya, who confirmed that crime is indeed rife and that efforts are being made to ensure that safety in Mogale City is prioritised.
“We have done several operations and collaborated with various CPF sectors in Krugersdorp. Lewisham falls under CPF Sector 9 and the area experiences high levels of theft, hijackings and housebreakings in addition to drugs and gangsterism,” Sibiya added.
With the daily lives of residents being affected many pose the question of whether or not they can trust the police and some have lost faith in them.
