Residents shaken by early morning ATM bombing

On Monday morning, November 21, Hamberg residents were woken up by a loud bang as criminals blew to pieces a FNB ATM that is located at the Hamberg Caltex service station.

It is alleged that approximately 10 suspects came in on foot from behind the service station and proceeded to blow up the ATM before fleeing with an undisclosed amount of cash.

One resident known to the Record said that the ATM was blown to pieces and blamed the fact that they have to live in constant fear on a squatter camp that was recently forced on to them.

“If it’s not a substation that’s been vandalised something else will be vandalised in the name of crime, we live in a jail and criminals walk free and cause chaos everywhere in our area.”

Florida CPF chairperson Farhaad Sardiwalla said that he only found out about the incident later and confirmed that it happened in the morning.

Ward 84 Councillor Johannes Goosen also confirmed and condemned the incident and said that this sort of behaviour is intolerable and has no place in a civilised society.

“In the early Monday morning hours, an ATM machine was laid to waste by way of bombing at the Caltex station in Albertina Sisulu Road. Let there be no mistake, I strongly condemn anarchy of any sort, for any reason, this sort of behaviour is intolerable.

“For the safety and security of communities, I call on our law enforcers to act with haste in apprehending the perpetrators that committed this crime and bringing them to justice, as well as ensuring it does not easily happen again.

“I would also like to encourage all residents to report any suspicious behaviour in their area, only together can we work on preventing criminal activities that threaten our way of life,” said Goosen.

Gauteng Provincial Police Spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo was contacted by the Record but at the time of publishing, there was still no reply from him, more information will be shared once it is available.