Pretoria man robbed while ‘police stood idly by’

A businessman has accused the police of standing idly by while he was being robbed in the north of Pretoria, Pretoria North Rekord reports.

Louis Eloff said this happened during a protest. He sells and distributes paint across Pretoria.

Eloff said he was on his way to make a delivery in Hammanskraal when he ran in to a group of protesters along Soutpan Road in Soshanguve.

“About 100 people ran towards my van and stopped it. They took all the buckets of paint on the trailer and got away.”

Eloff said the stock was worth more than R25 000.

“Two policemen stood there and watched. When I approached them to ask for help, they said it was not their division.”

He said he did not lay charges because this would be a waste of time.

“Why would I do that when I know that there are thousands of murders, rapes and armed robberies on their books that will never be solved?”

Soshanguve police spokesperson Mathews Nkoadi confirmed that no charges had been laid.

“We are not aware of such a case.”

The businessman said the protesters did not harm him and his co-workers.

Residents of Soshanguve have protesting since last week over water and electricity problems.

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