Residents of Quenera Drive are at their wits end after repeatedly being targeted by burglars.
The residents accuse Eskom of failing to respond to written pleas to fence an adjoining piece of open property they said was used by criminals.
In a four-month period, one resident had to rush to the Eskom property to stop the rape of a screaming hospital worker, while his home has been burgled five times since December.
A waist-high barbed wire fence that is layered with bush on both sides of the property is the only protection the residents have to keep criminals out.
Aaron Rahin, 29, who lives in a cottage closest to the fence and had his home burgled twice in one month, said he was now considering moving.
“They nearly cleaned me out when they stole over R25000 worth of electronics. They stole my laptop, clothing and cellphone.”
He added that his pitbull dog, which normally roams around his yard was locked up in a kennel during the time of the robbery.
“They must have been watching me and seen my dog was locked up. It is very upsetting because this bush harbours a lot of people and makes for an easy escape route onto the highway,” Rahin said.
The veld was previously used as a golf range for several years and was well maintained – but now knee-high grass covers the area.
Home owner Judy Lindsay, 70, who bought her property about 14 years ago, said burglaries in the area had been on the increase in recent months.
“We were always vulnerable to the elements because of this stretch of veld next to the fence and over time we had faced petty break-ins but it has increased in recent months.
“…the only solution would be for Eskom to clear up this area,” Lindsay said.
Another resident, Shane Swart, 42, stopped a possible rape from occurring in the bush earlier this year.
“It is in my nature to help where I can and as I was pulling my car out at 7am one Sunday morning to go to church, I heard this lady’s screams coming from the bush.”
The hospital worker had used the veld as a short cut on her way to work when two men, who Swart said must have attacked her in the bush, grabbed her handbag and tried pulling her further into the bush.
“This type of thing makes me angry because this bush needs to be cleared and that is the bottom line. Eskom needs to do something about it.”
Eskom spokesman Zama Mpondwana confirmed ownership of the piece of land next to the company’s provincial offices on Quenera Drive.
“Eskom has not received any complaints about this piece of land, however, we will follow this up, do a risk assessment and decide what action to take.”
Mpondwana said the veld was earmarked for future development. — reillya@timesmedia.co.za
Desperate residents call on Eskom to fence land used by criminals
The residents accuse Eskom of failing to respond to written pleas to fence an adjoining piece of open property they said was used by criminals.
In a four-month period, one resident had to rush to the Eskom property to stop the rape of a screaming hospital worker, while his home has been burgled five times since December.
A waist-high barbed wire fence that is layered with bush on both sides of the property is the only protection the residents have to keep criminals out.
Aaron Rahin, 29, who lives in a cottage closest to the fence and had his home burgled twice in one month, said he was now considering moving.
“They nearly cleaned me out when they stole over R25000 worth of electronics. They stole my laptop, clothing and cellphone.”
He added that his pitbull dog, which normally roams around his yard was locked up in a kennel during the time of the robbery.
“They must have been watching me and seen my dog was locked up. It is very upsetting because this bush harbours a lot of people and makes for an easy escape route onto the highway,” Rahin said.
The veld was previously used as a golf range for several years and was well maintained – but now knee-high grass covers the area.
Home owner Judy Lindsay, 70, who bought her property about 14 years ago, said burglaries in the area had been on the increase in recent months.
“We were always vulnerable to the elements because of this stretch of veld next to the fence and over time we had faced petty break-ins but it has increased in recent months.
“…the only solution would be for Eskom to clear up this area,” Lindsay said.
Another resident, Shane Swart, 42, stopped a possible rape from occurring in the bush earlier this year.
“It is in my nature to help where I can and as I was pulling my car out at 7am one Sunday morning to go to church, I heard this lady’s screams coming from the bush.”
The hospital worker had used the veld as a short cut on her way to work when two men, who Swart said must have attacked her in the bush, grabbed her handbag and tried pulling her further into the bush.
“This type of thing makes me angry because this bush needs to be cleared and that is the bottom line. Eskom needs to do something about it.”
Eskom spokesman Zama Mpondwana confirmed ownership of the piece of land next to the company’s provincial offices on Quenera Drive.
“Eskom has not received any complaints about this piece of land, however, we will follow this up, do a risk assessment and decide what action to take.”
Mpondwana said the veld was earmarked for future development. — reillya@timesmedia.co.za
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