A hill separating Laudium and Atteridgeville has become dangerous for residents of the areas. According to Laudium police spokesperson, Captain Reed Steynberg, several criminal cases have been opened at the police station.
“Several cases of assault and robbery have been reported. The hill is remote and people have to be very careful when walking in the area.” In light of the recent spate of robberies, she advised residents to walk in groups. “Not everyone can afford taxi fares and people use that route because it is the shortest way to get to Laudium or Atteridgeville,” said Steynberg.
She also advised residents not to cross the hill at night, and encouraged anyone who witnessed or suspected criminal activities in the area to contact the police. “I’m appealing specifically to women not to walk alone,” Steynberg said.
She said she hoped residents and the police could work together to form crime-combatting groups with the police.
Laudium resident Erick Amtha said he no longer felt safe. “My house is just behind the hill and during the day and even sometimes at night, I can hear people screaming for help.” He added that a couple of months ago, he helped a man who had been badly beaten after he was robbed of his cash and cell phone. “The man told me that he was approached by three men who pretended to be looking for directions to a place in Laudium, but as soon as he tried to show them where the place was, he was attacked and stoned. They searched him for any cash and his cell phone and then continued to assault him,” said Amtha.
Another resident who wanted to remain anonymous told Rekord his house, adjacent to the hill, had been broken into several times. “I have reported several break-ins, but nothing has been done. The thieves come when we are either at work or sleeping, so it is very difficult to sleep at night and concentrate at work.”
He said residents needed to come up with a plan to eradicate the crime in the area. “This is not the problem of Atteridgeville or Laudium alone. It affects all of us, because the hill separates the two places. When criminals steal from Laudium, they cross over to Atteridgeville,” the resident explained.
When Rekord went to investigate, we found a number of people walking crossing the hill from Atteridgeville and Laudium.
For more news, like Rekord on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
