Durban - Motorists travelling in the vicinity of Maydon Road under the M4 highway bridge, near Albert Park, are being urged to be vigilant following a spike in crime in recent weeks.
Several unsuspecting residents and motorists have been attacked by vagrants living on the railway lines, just metres from the intersection.
Glenwood resident Mandy Wilson and her family were the latest victims. On Sunday the couple and their daughter had parked at a traffic light when they were approached by a man.
“He put a knife to my husband’s neck. My husband instinctively put his hand up and the two grappled for a time. I grabbed a glass water bottle that was in the car and I hit the man’s hand and he still refused to move. My daughter was hysterical in the back seat,” she said.
Wilson said the man managed to grab the car keys but her husband grabbed on to his hand.
“A second man walked towards us and pulled the attacker away. They walked off and we were shaken. I tried to contact the police, but I was in such a state that I think I dialled the wrong number. Our car keys had been damaged and we could not start the car or close the windows. We noticed that more people were now walking towards us,” she said. Wilson said a car stopped next to them and the driver flagged down a police van for assistance.
Motorist Daniel Neill was on his way to pick up his girlfriend when he was accosted by a knife-wielding man.
“Two men came towards my car and one held a knife to my throat. The other managed to turn my car off and they demanded my cellphone, which I gave without hesitation. I then drove off and went to a police station where I reported the case,” Neill said.
Berea Community Policing Forum chairperson Nicky Burke said people needed to be more aware of their surroundings.
“People are not aware of what is happening around them. Be aware of who is loitering around your car. Motorists need to keep their doors locked and their windows up. These people are looking for opportunities. If your windows are up and they approach, you have time to hoot and draw attention to yourself,” she said.
Metro Police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Parboo Sewpersad said they were conducting patrols in high-risk areas.
“We have a newly established Street Crime Unit that will be tackling these and other issues. We will also increase patrols in the area,” he said.
Sewpersad cautioned motorists to keep their windows closed and doors locked.
“Be observant of what is happening around you. Keep valuables in the boot and ensure that it is locked,” he said.
Ethekwini Municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela said that deputy mayor Fawzia Peer along with stakeholders had been working on a programme to tackle the crime wave.
Mayisela said that previously when the city tried to reunite those living on the streets with their families, they were told that they were not welcome back home.
“These are human beings. We cannot just gather them and dump them somewhere,” he said.
He added that the city was trying to get those living in the area into rehabilitation clinics and to equip them with skills to get jobs.