The Post Office in the Gatesville central business district was burgled by opportunistic skelms in the area on Sunday.
At about 12.30pm, the neighbourhood watch in the area reported that vagrants living near the Post Office burgled the place.
Gatesville Neighbourhood Watch Chairperson Fowzia Veerasamy says it’s a free for all.
“Criminals are now just on a shopping spree. It’s only the essential shops like Shoprite and Elite that’s open,” she says.
“The Post Office has been broken into numerous times.
“That gives the opening for criminals and the vagrants in the CBD.
“They [vagrants] break in and damage these properties.
Neighbourhood watches were not deemed as essential services according to lockdown regulations, and Fowzia says this is keeping them of protecting their community.
“When something happens, I have to report it to police, by the time police come out, the criminals are gone.
“Now, the guy who broke into the Post Office can be seen walking between the seniors who are going to collect their grants or do essential shopping. Our seniors are now his next target.
“We as neighbourhood watch know our community inside and out, unfortunately, our services are not needed and I understand. But, it’s frustrating for us to sit back and see how criminals take over,” she adds. Police spokesperson, Sergeant Noloyiso Rwexana said there was no record of this incident. “Athlone police have no record of the incident in your enquiry reported.”