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Illegal dumping and non-working streetlights were two municipal issues that were exacerbating crime according to residents Tienie Venter, Chris Naidoo, Esmerelda Johnson and Thando Ndondo.

Johnson said her home was broken into three times. “There were nine of us and we got tied up.

“Three men were hitting the guys and after two hours they eventually left. And they knew me because they knew I was the owner and they wanted me to show them the safe.”

To deter criminals Johnson had her perimeter fence built higher. However, illegal dumping behind her property made it much easier for criminals to get over the fence as the pile became higher and higher, she said.

Naidoo and his wife were attacked at home. “We were tied up under blankets. My wife was pregnant. The robbers asked for the safe,” said Naidoo.

He said one suspect was arrested wearing the clothes he stole from them. “But the case got thrown out due to a lack of evidence.

“How was that possible?” One day Naidoo was driving and saw the same man at a street corner looking at him.

Ndondo has had more than one vehicle break-in on his property. “The one car belonged to guests, but Tracker recovered it. Within so little time the car got so damaged,” he said.

In another incident thieves stole two laptops from Ndondo’s car. “I arranged with police to take fingerprints, but they never came on the arranged date.”

Honeydew police communications officer, Warrant Officer Karen Jacobs, advised residents who face similar issues to attend the next CPF meeting where their grievances can be aired and attended to by the relevant authorities.

Jacobs added that she could not comment on municipal issues and advised residents to contact City Parks spokesperson Jenny Moodley.

Moodley told the Northsider that City Parks was going to investigate the matter of illegal dumping.