A community under siege — that is how Swartkops residents describe the shocking surge in crime in the once peaceful riverside neighbourhood.
Street light cables, water pipes and optical fibre are being stolen on a massive scale, forcing a group of brave residents to start a neighbourhood watch as they feel deserted by the police.
Even the cables along the well-known “Smartie Bridge” have been pulled out.
Residents have blamed a newly opened scrapyard in the area, accusing the owner of buying the stolen goods from drug addicts.
The owner denies the claims.
Swartkops Neighbourhood Watch founder Dawie Grundlingh has even received a death threat, allegedly from a St Albans Prison inmate who calls himself “Swart Kat” (black cat), while resident Kim Beeton, outspoken about crime in the area, has been shot at.
In a WhatsApp voice note, the prisoner tells Grundlingh: “Look here, stop this nonsense. If you want to know who you dealing with, look for Swart Kat on Facebook.
“I’m coming out of jail [soon] and I’m going to make Swartkops smaller for you. I do jail with a smile.”
Since December, the fishing community has come under constant attack, with the area being stripped, allegedly by addicts to feed their habit.
Driving along the N2 towards Old Grahamstown Road, only one traffic light works at the intersection. On the Swartkops bridge, none of the lights work.
Grundlingh is not allowing the threats to deter him and said he would continue the work of the neighbourhood watch until the perpetrators were brought to book.
He said the surge in cable theft left the area pitch-black at night.
“They even started on the sewerage plant near the Swartkops River. They vandalise the pumps, causing sewage leaks,” he said.
At times sewage runs under the bridge into the Swartkops River.
“I don’t know how many suspects we’ve caught red-handed. Some were even found dead after having been electrocuted while trying to steal cables.”
The residents blame a couple who recently moved into the neighbourhood.
It is alleged they run a scrapyard 24 hours a day, and pay for the copper with drugs.
A resident who asked not to be named said many youngsters were now addicted to Tik and burglaries had increased significantly.
“They started with the lights on the bridge and now they’re stripping the municipal copper worth thousands.”
The resident, a recovering drug addict, said some of his friends were stealing copper for drugs.
The neighbourhood watch showed Weekend Post the vandalised poles, traffic lights, pipes, stores and electric boxes.
Beeton said a family member addicted to drugs was working for the scrap yard.
She called police on him several times, but officers apparently never arrived.
“I’ve thrown him out my house and called police after I found a bag of Tik, but they never came.
“This will become a ghost town if nothing is done.
“Our biggest hurdle is that we have one police station that tells us they don’t have enough patrollers.”
Scrapyard owner Steven Aylward dismissed allegations of drug dealing.
Aylward said he had a permit to use his bakkie to transport the scrap he bought.
He said he was regularly accused of dealing in drugs because of the number of people seen coming to his house.
“I’m a family man. Because I buy scrap, people often come to my house. I don’t sell drugs, I think this is all driven by jealousy.”
He said selling scrap was how he made a living and he was willing to work with the community to catch the criminals.
In May it was reported that officers at the Swartkops railway station were begging for more work.
The officers are tasked with combating rail-related crimes.
However, passenger trains stopped using the station in January due to vandalism and other challenges.
One officer said the unit members were not allowed to leave their posts to attend to crimes away from the station.
Police in Swartkops, however, claimed the area’s Crime Prevention Forum, SAPS and private security companies shared a healthy relationship.
Police spokesperson Col Priscilla Naidu said complaints about the scrapyard had been followed up.
However, police could not find any noncompliance.
“Ongoing operations are held at drug posts in Old Grahamstown Road, where arrests were effected,” Naidu added.
Business owners also shared their frustrations.
Bryson Naiduu, who is also part of the neighbourhood patrol, recently had his car broken into and his pistol stolen.
“We receive incident reports daily and there’s not much assistance from the police,” Naiduu said.
Next to the railway an abandoned building was turned into a brothel.
He had taken it upon himself to address the situation.
“All we can do is observe and report, but it feels like we're fighting a losing battle.”
Reg Botha’s house has been broken into several times. During the latest incident his mechanical tools were stolen.
“We’re living with criminals on the loose who are stripping our town; soon we will be left with nothing but fear.”
SPAR Supermarket owner Abri Swart bought the store late last year with an aim to expand the business.
Instead he has spent more than R70,000 on repairs and security due to constant copper theft.
“We can smell them burning the wires behind the store. They sell it and come into my store to spend the money..
“In a span of three weeks they broke in five times,” he said.
Naidu said there was sufficient manpower to police the area, but additional resources from the railway police would assist in enhancing visibility.
She confirmed the cases reported by Naiduu and Botha. Both were under investigation.
Naidu said cable theft was a huge problem nationally..
“Weekly operations are done and all scrap dealers are inspected to ensure compliance.
“Police are aware of the theft of cable from the SPAR and the area is constantly patrolled. Unfortunately, no arrests have been made.”
HeraldLIVE