In a recent monthly meeting of our executives, I discovered that I was one of a few who had not been victims of crime in the Joburg CBD.
No fewer than 11 colleagues had been attacked in the past few weeks.
And on Friday a former colleague told me a thug who pretended to be taking out a gun had demanded her phone. Luckily, the traffic lights turned green and she was able to drive off before she could be harmed.
Almost daily, we hear stories of people falling victim to crimes in the city centre. A walk down the street can end badly for anyone.
I have written about the crime levels in the city centre before, but now it has hit very close to home. Our street, Pixley ka Isaka Seme, has been flagged by Joburg metro police as a hot spot.
I drive out of the city on this road daily, sometimes late at night. I am always alert and make sure my doors are locked and windows closed.
But nothing can prepare you for a date with Joburg's criminals, who have turned the city into a crime den. Lawlessness is the order of the day.
People are attacked in broad daylight.
During peak hour traffic, thugs pounce and rob motorists of cellphones, wallets, handbags and other valuable items. It usually takes only a few seconds. Sometimes, other motorists don't even see what is happening. The criminals are daring and sometimes work in packs like wild dogs.
Thugs vanish into the crowds after attacking, only to attack again.
Students in Braamfontein, just across the Nelson Mandela Bridge, are also under attack from thugs who rob them of cellphones, laptops and other valuables. In some cases, the thieves drive around, pick their victims, rob them and drive off. Then pounce again, and again, and again.
Many people will tell you that opening a case with the police is simply a waste of time because nothing will happen. Most people open a case merely so they can claim from their insurers.
If Joburg is going to be the World Class African City it claims to be, a plan is needed on how to deal with the crime. It doesn't make any sense to me that metro police are made to hide behind bushes with cameras instead of patrolling the streets. Police visibility should improve if the criminals are to be dealt with, like we saw with Westbury, where Police Minister Bheki Cele deployed amaBerete.
Joburg CBD requires a similar approach. The criminals must be driven out of the city.
Many years ago, I remember the installation of CCTV cameras around the city in a bid to stem the crime wave.
I wonder what happened to those cameras, but in this day and age, technology must allow us to monitor the streets at all times and make sure the people are safe.
Crime here is sickening!