Young vandals slip away

Three young boys were found trying to break into the Ithemba Labasha community centre in Shakashead last Sunday afternoon.
Thabo Selamolela, a sports coach and aftercare volunteer, arrived at the centre at around 1pm and found the boys trying to enter the building.
The boys admitted to Selamolela that their intention had been to vandalise the centre. The coach then  kept them inside while he phoned Umhlali SAPS.
“The policeman at the station promised a squad car would be on its way,” said Selamolela, who waited for a few hours, though no-one arrived.
He sent some other children into the township to inform the children’s parents. The parents came to the centre and agreed that the boys should be dealt with by the police.
When the police never arrived, however, Selamolela eventually let the boys go.
“I am a father, so when they boys started to get cold, I let them go home,” he said.
Early the next morning, at around 3am, burglars tried to break into the centre. They were able to make off with some copper pipes from the ablution block next to the main building.
“It must have been the boys, where they tried to enter the building it was only big enough for a child to fit through,” he said.  Selamolela believes adults must have helped them as they would have needed someone strong enough to force the copper pipes off the wall.
Umhlali SAPS’s Station Commander, Colonel Zondi, checked official records from Sunday and could not find a request from Selamolela.
Speaking about the burglary he said, “A call was received at approximately 7.45am on monday morning, a vehicle was despatched and a case of housebreaking and theft was subsequently opened and will be investigated,” said Colonel Zondi.
“It is a pity Mr Selamolela has chosen the media to investigate his complaint as I have stated on many previous occasions that my door is always open,” he said.