THE recently introduced Bulwer Ambassadors who monitor Helen Joseph Road as part of the Bulwer Community Improvement Project, have become targets for a gang of thugs who previously acted as car guards in the precinct. Last week, two of the Ambassadors were attacked and beaten up by the disgruntled men who claim they are stealing their money.
According to the operations manager of the Bulwer Community Improvement Project, Heather Rorick, the Ambassadors were confronted by the group of men at a shop at Dalton Hostel.
“The first attack was on Tuesday night. The Ambassador had just finished his shift and had gone to the shop at Dalton to buy some food when he was confronted by five men inside the shop.”
“They called him an ‘impimpi’ and took his money, saying they can’t make money on the roads anymore to buy whoonga, so the guys who are still working must pay them. They beat him up. The next morning when we were discussing what had happened, other Ambassadors came forward and confirmed that they were consistently being threatened by the men,” said Rorick.
Rorick said when she had called Umbilo police and told them the victim wanted to open a case against the men and asked them to meet with him to take a statement they told her they had sent a van. “I am still waiting!” said Rorick.
On Wednesday night, another of the Ambassadors was given a lift to his home by the manager of Keys, but the gang of men had followed them.
“The manager asked what it would take for them to leave the Ambassador alone and they had said they wanted the R100 they would’ve made, which the manager paid them to leave the Ambassador alone,” she said.
The same thugs beat up another Ambassador on Thursday night when he went to buy food at the shop at Dalton hostel. Rorick said the men accused him of working in their spot and warned him that everyone working with him and taking the money that should be theirs, would be beaten up.
“The word on the street is that the men would keep robbing these Ambassadors until they chase them away.”
“I have asked SAPS to come stand off, and I have been told the police will help, especially at night. Metro Police have said they will help with a vehicle to be present in the area. We had to arrange lifts for the Ambassadors as they are being intimidated and pushed around by these men. Their ways and means of getting drugs have been taken away, and it is scary,” said Rorick.
Rorick said on Friday she had been told an officer would take a statement from the man who was assaulted on Thursday night, but no one had arrived.
On Saturday night, a man pointed a knife at one of the Ambassadors and he had been arrested, but later released by Umbilo SAPS.
One of the directors of the CIP, Chris Beresford, said he was disappointed in the lack of assistance by Umbilo SAPS.
“The intimidation started verbally, and Umbilo SAPS should’ve stepped in then to assist. It has now progressed to assault,” he said.
Capt Pumzile Makaula from Umbilo SAPS said it was difficult to identify the officer who failed to open the assault cases. She appealed to the community to always ask the name of the officer they dealt with, as this was their right.
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