Crime spikes in Secunda’s green strips

It seems crime at the duck pond is increasing because more people are reporting being held at knifepoint and robbed of their belongings in the green strip near the Duck Pond.

Residents raised concerns about their children’s safety when using the green strips daily to and from school.

The Ridge Times spoke to the victims and the families of others who chose to remain anonymous for their safety.

Two robbers approached a woman at one of the bridges close to the green strips at Hoërskool Secunda in the morning on November 14 last year.

She had parked her car at the duck pond entrance and walked the green strip route.

“My life flashed before my eyes,” said the woman.

She said she saw two well-dressed men at the first bridge, one barefoot. She continued walking towards the second bridge when the barefooted man passed her.

“I was still thinking about what would happen if someone cornered me off on the bridge,” said the woman.

She passed the man at the second bridge when he bent down to put on his shoes.

“The man cornered me and demanded my phone. The Holy Spirit spoke to me and told me to throw my phone into the reeds.”

She saw the other man on the other side of her had a knife.

“I began speaking in tongues, and one of the men was confused.”

While the men were searching the reeds for the woman’s phone, she walked towards the high school’s side.

“I am not sure if they found the phone, but I did see them run in another direction.”

According to the woman, she asked a resident in the area to call the police. She said the police told her they did not have a vehicle to go out to the scene and that she must go to the police station to open a case.

She reported the incident to the police, who went with her to the scene to help find her phone, but to no avail.

“I don’t think I’ll walk in the green strip again. Something must be done to safeguard that area for the community who often walk in the green strips.”

Two teenage boys were also victims of robbers who robbed on December 23 at about 13:30, taking their bicycles, phones and watches at knifepoint.

The incident happened during a storm when the duo took cover in the pedestrian tunnel at the duck pond.

According to one of the boys’ fathers, when they were inside the tunnel, two men approached them from either side armed with knives and demanded their belongings.

One took a knife from his backpack, the other from his pocket.

The robbers ran into the green strip near Highveld Park High School and towards Dr Darko’s practice.

“I have told my son before to never fight back because of an incident last year when a Grade 11 learner was stabbed with a screwdriver for his bicycle when he resisted. We can replace the bicycle. It was traumatic for my son,” said the father.

The other boy’s father said, “My son has not returned to the green strip, and we have decided it is unsafe for them to go there at this stage. It is a pity because it is an area we love, and that is good for the community, but not if we cannot use it because of criminal elements.”

One of the boys’ phones had a tracker, which traced it to the field near Dr Darko’s practice.

The father said the area was thick and tall with reeds when they went to search.

“When we arrived at the location, the last update was a minute before. We missed them by a minute. These criminals are not stupid. They know what they are doing.”

He suspects the criminals hid the bicycles in the long grass and reeds and returned for them when the coast was clear.

In another incident, a man riding with his nine-year-old son was robbed of his bicycle on December 31 at about 09:00. Similar to the other cases reported, the criminals were neatly dressed, with one carrying a black backpack.

What stood out to the man was that the criminal had the backpack in the front with his hands resting, not on his back.

The accomplice was a few steps further back, making it seem as if they were not together.

“My son and I rode off the path to pass him. At the last moment, he stepped off the path and grabbed my handlebars,” said the man.

The criminal pulled out a kukri, a panga-looking knife, and demanded cellphones, watches and other belongings.

“He tried to hit me with the thing while I held onto my saddle,” said the man.

The criminal told his accomplice to grab the bicycle from the man’s son.

“I told my son to go, and he fled. The accomplice made off with my bicycle while the other held me off with the panga. It all happened so quickly. There was no time to stop them.”

The man said the ordeal had traumatised his son, who needed help to deal with it.

In another incident on December 29 at about 09:10, a woman was robbed of her bicycle, phone and watch in the green strip near Hoërskool Secunda.

According to her husband, she had seen two men approaching her and decided to veer off the strip for them to pass.

“One of the guys pushed her off her bike. When she fell to the ground, the other stood over her, pulled a panga out of his backpack and demanded her valuables,” said her husband.

He said the ordeal was traumatic for his wife.

One of the robbers rode a black bicycle.

“When we went to the police station to report the crime, another gentleman was to report his bicycle as stolen.”

From the description and where it happened, the bicycles were seemingly stolen moments apart by the same robbers.

“Two robberies in a row in a matter of minutes,” said the woman’s husband.

He said the criminals are not scared to show their faces or be caught.

“It is happening in broad daylight. They go out with weapons and are ready for confrontation. What happens if someone fights back? They are going to get seriously injured.”

In response to the Ridge Times’ enquiries, the SAPS said it knew of a few incidents reported since October 2024.

“Seven cases of common robbery that occurred in the green strips and the duck pond area were reported for the above period,” said Lieutenant Colonel Kawa Karelse.

He said the SAPS had intensified patrols in these areas, focusing on the early mornings and late afternoons when people exercise.

“We also focused our patrols on the times before and after school hours with the re-opening of the schools,” said Karelse.

However, the green strips present challenges for the SAPS. The long grass impedes visibility, and the muddy terrain impedes accessibility.

“The absence of private security that previously occupied these fenced areas has contributed to the presence of people with criminal intentions,” said Karelse.

He advised the community and schoolchildren not to cycle or walk alone in the green strips.

“In the event of an incident, the community should not resist or retaliate because you can always replace property but not lives. Also, we urge the community to join their respective sectors’ CPF structure or co-operate with them in their crime prevention initiatives done with the police,” said Karelse.

Other things to do are mark belongings like bicycles, laptops and TVs with the Data Dot to help the police identify stolen goods and prove ownership once the case is in court.

Get more information from the CPF or the Secunda SAPS.

Download apps like Prey to your cellphone to track it and render it inoperable.

“All incidents and cases reported to the police are investigated and attended to. Two arrests were made from the seven reported cases.

“The Secunda SAPS remains committed to its vision of creating a safe and secure environment for our communities,” said Karelse.

The police ask the community to co-operate with them and report suspicious activity. The information could prevent crime or lead to the arrest of those responsible. Call 017 618 3111/2/3/4/5.