Chairman of the Sophiatown Community Patrol Dauw Steyn was robbed at gunpoint on 17 September in Westdene.
Two men approached Steyn and drew firearms from underneath their shirts.
“I was casually told that is a robbery and that I need to hand over my phone and money. I did this immediately as I did not want to risk getting shot,” retold Steyn.
All this happened on a busy main road.
“There were people on the road, inside the dry-cleaners as well as the security guard at the corner of Westdene Cycles,” said Steyn.
“It happened so quickly and what got me angry at this stage was the fact that they could casually walk away and be so calm while doing this as if it is just a normal day at the office for them,” he added.
According to Steyn, after a robbery such as this, one tends to become emotional as the reality of the fact that one’s life could have been taken away, hits.
“I still struggle with nightmares, waking up in the middle of the night playing this incident over in my head and thinking what if I had only done this or maybe I should have done this,” he said distraught.
Steyn, subsequent to such a tragedy, hopes the criminals will get caught.
“My appeal to every community member out there is to not harbour and hide these criminals but to let us know in confidence, or even contact the SAPS so these criminals can be apprehended and charged with the full might of the law,” he said.
He has also taken this as an opportunity to challenge residents to get more involved in community security projects.
Steyn is grateful for the support he has received.
“All the support made me realise that in the true spirit of Tata Madiba we have a beautiful area with hundreds of people living the Madiba dream of a unified and supporting community, embracing each other regardless of skin colour and status,” he said.
The robbers have not been found but a case has been opened with the Sophiatown Police.
