Festive season crimewave concern

Businesses hit by robberies

The increasing frequency of armed robberies, targeting local businesses in and around the Chris Hani district, is an indication of a coming festive season crimewave, according to police.

This comes after robberies at three businesses, including a tavern and retail store, occurred last week in Cofimvaba in the space of three days.

The police have confirmed that businesses are being targetted by criminals due to the easy accessibility of illegal firearms.

Provincial police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli confirmed the police were investigating three cases involving businesses targeted by robbers during the last week of August.

Nkohli said the first incident took place on August 25, when armed suspects stormed into a liquor store in Cofimvaba and managed to steal an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing the scene on foot.

The following day, in the afternoon, three armed suspects robbed a chain store of an undisclosed amount of cash and cellphones.

The suspects fired warning shots and got away with more than R20,000 cash.

No-one was injured during the incident.

“The third incident was reported on August 27 when two armed suspects targeted a manager.

“They shot and injured the manager and two other people,” Nkohli said.

They were all rushed to hospital.

The suspects were allegedly all armed with 9mm pistols and only managed to get the money in the tills and took bottles of whiskey.

A 27-year-old man was shot dead and cases of murder and business robbery were opened.

No arrests have been made as yet.

Nkohli said due to the expected pre-festive season crimewave, a large contingent of members from specialised units such as the mounted police (on horses) – patrolling at malls, beaches and some hotspot areas – would be deployed.

“We are also urging anyone with information that could assist with the investigation in any of the cases to contact the nearest police station.

“The information may also be shared via Crime Stop on 08600-10111,” Nkohli said. According to the Border-Kei Chamber of Business in Komani, the negative impact of crime on businesses that had just come out of the Covid-19 pandemic and were struggling with constant power outages, created additional challenges.

Some already struggling businesses were often forced to either shut down or retrench workers.

“Many businesses have already had to close down or let go of staff and it seems more businesses will have to go the same route if unplanned challenges do not stop,” said Dylan Edwards, chair of the safety and security subcommittee.

He said the culprits did not understand they were not just stealing or affecting these businesses, but also the people the businesses dealt with. Furthermore, Edwards said, those who bought the stolen merchandise were as guilty as the ones who stole.

“These armed robberies seem at face value to be opportunistic and not wellplanned robberies.

“This, sometimes, makes them more dangerous as they do not have a clear plan and are very edgy,” Edwards explained.

He also said business owners needed to take extra care and always have a plan in place for such circumstances, especially during the festive season, because syndicates from other areas operated in Komani.

Edwards advised residents to be more vigilant and to always stay prepared.

Cofimvaba resident, Velile Sontonga, who witnessed the shooting incident involving a manager, said the police reaction had been slow and as a result, the suspects allegedly spent more than 30 minutes in the business premises looking for the keys to the safe.

“The police do not seem to care much because they were very slow to react.

“Those robbers who shot a manager had at least more than 30 minutes to ransack the place while they were looking for the keys to the safe, before the police arrived,” Sontonga said at the time.

He said he would not be surprised if the robbers struck again at another business because the police were not effective enough to combat crime.

“Maybe someone high up in the police is taking bribes from these criminals because that is the only logical explanation I can get to at this point,” he said. Chamber municipal liaison Adré Gainsford-Bartis said there seemed to be a new trend regarding break-ins at businesses in Komani, with criminals targeting the air conditioning units in search of copper inside the units, as well as the aluminium finishes.

She said another problem facing residents was unoccupied houses attracting vagrants, who then broke into other homes in those areas to steal DV boxes, geysers, light fittings and cables.

“These vagrants are also being opportunistic and are also breaking in at other residential homes.

“They are also stealing garden hoses, lawn mowers and many outdoor things,” Gainsford-Bartis said.

Many businesses have already had to close down or let go of staff and it seems more businesses will have to go the same route if unplanned challenges do not stop