Cape Town’s traffic is changing the way we live... in more ways than we can imagine.
Yes, we know it means sitting in bumper-to-bumper rush hour traffic for longer periods.
This - coupled with the astronomical cost of fuel - has turned more people to public transport: trains, buses and taxis.
This, in turn, results in longer queues at ranks, stations and interchanges.
What this all means is commuters (adults and schoolkids) have to wake up a lot earlier than we’re used to.
One to two hours earlier actually.
The day starts earlier, life starts earlier, business starts earlier and, unfortunately, so does crime.
Armed hijackers were on the job at 6am on Tuesday morning in Blackheath, killing Patrick Cosani, chairman of the Blackheath-
Malibu Taxi Association, in his school bus in his driveway.
Minutes later, dad John Neethling was shot dead in his car while taking his kids to school.
Earlier that morning, Kensington residents were left shocked after a man was stabbed to death and another seriously injured after they were robbed in two separate incidents in Crematorium Road and in 12th Avenue at about 5.30am.
Then on Wednesday, a 23-year-old woman was on her way to a bus stop in Strandfontein before 7am when she was attacked.
SHOT DEAD: Pastor Christopher Konstabel attacked by robbers
Robbers in a red VW Golf shot her, wounding her in the stomach.
And on Monday morning, well known Elsies River pastor, Christopher Konstabel, was gunned down while going to pick up colleagues in Khayelitsha at 5am.
The 68-year-old, who worked for a security company, was robbed of his cellphone by three balaclava-clad men who killed him.
From these reports in the Daily Voice alone, we can establish that at least four people have been killed in early morning attacks - in various areas - this week.
There appears to be a clear pattern: armed robbers are striking before dawn and are targeting people on their way to work.
If SAPS, Law Enforcement, community police forums, neighbourhood watches and security companies are not already aware of this terrifying trend, take note.
Set your alarm clocks an hour or two earlier, luister vir die athaan, start your shifts and patrols earlier.
Because these evil early birds are catching their worms.
And you’re going to have to rise and shine before them to clip their wings.
Ai, life doesn’t get any easier, does it?
And then there’s still the issue of the safety of commuters coming home late in the evenings...