Robbery victim still waiting for police

24 May 2010, 09:00

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Rahima Shaik, a senior manager in Planning Minister Trevor Manuel's office, was attacked in her home in Kensington, Joburg, on Sunday. But despite several calls to the Jeppe police station, officers did not respond to the incident.

Shaik was baking pies in her flatlet while her daughter was in the bathroom of the main house when two robbers used a tree to climb over a high wall to gain access to the property.

Describing the incident, Shaik said: "I was busy making pies when I saw a shadow. I thought it was my son, but when I turned and looked up, I saw a man ordering me to keep quiet.

"I screamed and he caught me by my wrist and started spraying me (with pepper spray), but missed my eyes."

Shaik grabbed the kettle, but the water was cold. She then threw a cup at one of her attackers before both of them ran out of the yard.

She followed her attackers to the street, where they got into a gold VW Jetta and fled.

The incident occurred just before midday on Sunday, and Shaik called the station commissioner of the Jeppe police station on his cellphone at 11.52am, who apparently promised to dispatch officers to the house.

Shaik then called Mansoor Manther, of Baron Armed Reaction.

According to Manther, the modus operandi used to attack Shaik was being used regularly in Kensington, Bez Valley, Cleveland and surrounding areas. He said that since the beginning of the year, his company had received four similar complaints.

"Robbers closely watch the homes of their victims over a period of time, and pounce only when they are convinced that females are in the house alone."

He said they always use pepper spray to subdue their victims before removing items from the houses. Mansoor also confirmed that the robbers used a gold VW Jetta.

An hour after the incident, a second call was made to the police.

By 4pm, Shaik's family were still waiting for the police to arrive.

On Sunday night, police denied allegations of inefficiency levelled against them.

Hillbrow police spokesman Sergeant Bongi Mdletshe said no crime report was made to the police about the attempted house robbery in Kensington. But Mdletshe confirmed that Shaik spoke to the station commissioner about the robbery.

"Brigadier Louw confirmed that he spoke to the victim. He said he asked the woman whether he should dispatch police to her house, but she said no because they had gone already," Mdletshe said.

Shaik has denied the police's claims, asking what the purpose was of her making the second call to Louw at 12.58pm and telling him that she was still waiting for the police to arrive.

By 6pm, the police had still not arrived.

This article was originally published on page 1 of The Star on May 24, 2010

The Star

Comments by Sonny

Yes, like the poor and needy are still waiting for president Jacob Zuma!

That a commissioner of Jeppe police station does not know that a crime had already

been committed?

Now to allege that the complainant did not want the police because the 'robbers' had

already left?

This commissioner should go for counselling!

Does Kensington not fall under the SAPF Cleveland command?

This is the same MO as with Brigadier Jaco Bothma.