Local residents are once again up in arms over the unresolved issue of safety in the community, after yet another mugging occurred on the streets of Laudium.
This past Tuesday (March 6), a terrifying incident almost cost a brave pregnant woman and her teenage daughter their lives, leaving them both emotionally scarred and traumatized.
The heavily pregnant Fatima Patel (34), said that she, together with her 15-year-old daughter, Afreen, had been walking along Aquamarine Street that Tuesday afternoon at around 1pm, when they were accosted by two armed thugs.
"It was a nice afternoon and so my daughter and I decided to get a bit of exercise by taking a walk to the bakery, at a shopping Centre on Bengal Street. We were still on Aquamarine Street when we were approached by the two thugs. They moved swiftly, both armed with what looked to be large butterfly knives and came straight at me. They demanded that I hand over my phone which I still had in my hand. I was reluctant at first because I kept my money inside my cellphone cover, so I refused to hand it over. I pleaded with them that I was pregnant and that they should leave me alone," Fatima said.
The mother, who runs a beauty salon from her rented Aquamarine Street home, said that her daughter then tried to hit one of the thugs closest to her.
"Afreen lunged forward and tried to punch one of the thugs when he quickly side-stepped and brandished his knife. The other thug moved towards me and made a gesture with his knife. At that moment, I knew our lives were in danger. I again pleaded with the two hoodlums to leave us alone and then I threw my phone as far away as I could and they went after it. They picked it up and thankfully took off towards Emerald Street. I took my daughter by the hand and we ran back home to phone the police," the visibly traumatised mother added, with fear still in her eyes.
"I am just relieved that Afreen and I are safe. I still cannot believe that these low life criminals would actually target a pregnant woman. I am almost nine months pregnant and I am glad that the life of my unborn child was spared by the Almighty. The Laudium police responded quite quickly to our call and they then took me to the Laudium Hospital on Bengal Street to get a check-up. I then opened a case of robbery at the Laudium police station that very day," Fatima concluded.
Laudium SAPS confirmed that a case of robbery had been opened and is still under investigation.
Fatima Patel, who is almost nine months pregnant, was robbed by two armed thugs.
The spot on Aquamarine Str, where Fatima was robbed by two armed thugs this past Tuesday (Mar 6).