Crooks target bakery for dough
SITHIMAKUKHANYE Cooperative Bakery in Ezibeleni is struggling to continue its operations due to continued burglaries and theft at the premises.
In the most recent break-in, the bakery suffered a loss of about R100 000.
In January, equipment and cables were stolen and in March, baking products were taken.
Cooperative chairman Zwelibhangile Modi said he was distraught when he realised recently that the bakery had been the target of criminals for the third time in three months.
“My health has been unstable since December and all these things will cost me a fortune that I do not have. The cables were cut in a way that the machines cannot be fixed or function again. The cake maker has also been stolen.”
The bakery was started by a cooperative of 10 people in 2010 and was funded by various government departments.
Since the burglaries, the bakery has been struggling to make a profit and most workers have resigned, leaving it with only two members of the cooperative.
Modi said he was frustrated by the delay in the investigations.
“I opened a third case in May but the police are not assisting me. I have not received an update regarding the previous cases.
“It is frustrating because I will be in debt as I cannot afford to pay the rent for this building and to repair the equipment is impossible.”
Modi said the bakery was close to his heart and was playing a big role in the local business sector, but criminals were bringing it to a standstill.
Police spokeswoman Captain Namhla Mdleleni said, “Ezibeleni police are investigating a case of business robbery where an electricity box was stolen.”