Criminals in the Hazyview area are once again using cattle at night to lure people out of their homes to rob them.
A number of residents in Shabalala Trust, Hazyview and Sand River had been robbed at night while they were trying to chase the cattle from their yards.
One of the victims, Victor Nkosi from Shabalala, said he was awoken by the sound of a bell in his yard, and as he had a vegetable garden, he quickly woke up and opened his door to chase away what he knew to be cows.
ALSO READ: Chief Clyde Mnisi gunned down near White River
“Two men pointed guns at me and demanded that I keep quiet, show them my room and tell them how many people were in the house. I told them everything. They demanded my phone, my laptop and any cash I had in the house,” he said.
He said he was lucky to have escaped the ordeal unharmed, especially as his two daughters were in the house. “I can replace what they took, but it was going to be hurtful if they touched or raped them in front of me,” he said.
Nkosi said he did not press any charges, because he believes that it would not make any difference.
Lydia Mokoena from Sand River said the suspects had opened her gate so that the cows could come into her yard at 23:00.
“I was surprised to see them inside the yard, as I knew that I had locked the gate before I went to bed. But I thought maybe the cows had pushed it open. I then woke my son so he could chase them away.
ALSO READ: Two bodies discovered in abandoned building in KaBokweni
But immediately after he opened the door, three men pushed him back and demanded that we keep quiet or they would kill us. They took our cellphones, TV, sound system and some cash that I had, and fled on foot,” she said.
Eric du Toit said he was saved by his cameras after some cattle had come into his yard. Before he went to chase them away, he first checked the CCTV inside the house.
“I saw about six guys pushing the gate so that the cattle can come in and they hid next to the front door. I called the police and the security guards. The men realised I was not coming out and heard me talking, and they left,” he said.
A provincial police spokesperson, Brigadier Selvy Mohlala, said people should refrain from going out of their houses at night, especially if they are suspicious of their surroundings.
Criminals have used this cattle trick before. “But I must emphasise that people should open cases when they are attacked so that they can be investigated. If such cases are not reported, the criminals will continue to terrorise the residents and the police want
to bring them to justice and end this crime,” he said.
