FOLLOWING the robbery at the Belgravia jewellery store in Alberton City Shopping Centre on May 31, the RECORD returned to the mall to find out whether mall-goers feel safe or not. As expected, most of the interviewees expressed worry and fear about going out.
HONEYDEW: Kamantha Pillay is a resident of Honeydew.
Kamantha Pillay from Honeydew said: “When I go out, I make it a quick in-and-out trip and don’t spend too much time wandering around. You always have to be vigilant nowadays – anyone might be carrying a gun with them.”
PALM RIDGE: Rachel Mtirara is a resident of Palm Ridge.
Rachel Mtirara from Palm Ridge simply said: “No, I don’t feel safe anymore. I’m scared to go out.”
Tracey Rashkumar from Lenasia South said: “The hard truth is that there is no more safety in this country – to think you’re safe is to be naïve. It’s the times we live in now. I still see lone joggers in the street with their headphones on, blissfully unaware of the danger they put themselves in.”
VERWOERDPARK: Brenda Wannenburg is a resident of Verwoerdpark.
Brenda Wannenburg from Verwoerdpark said: “No, I don’t feel safe, because with all this increase in crime, one must always be alert and careful with everything you do. There’s always a chance of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, so there’s never a guarantee that you’ll be safe.”
Thembinkosi Mthombeni from Soweto said: “One should not constantly be paranoid about these things. There is crime, but it used to be much worse.”
BAG LADY: Julie Maule, better known to readers as the Bag Lady.
Julie Maule, our famous Bag Lady, said: “I’m not really scared. One can’t always put oneself through so much stress, thinking bad things are going to happen. However, I’m pretty sure if I heard a loud noise in the mall, I’d be very worried. Nevertheless, nothing will put me off my shopping!”
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