GEORGE NEWS - A woman from Pacaltsdorp had the fright of her life when she was robbed at knifepoint of her handbag in Scouts Road (off Davidson Road) on Friday morning, 16 October.

She had just drawn her wages and had R800 in cash in her bag. According to Dr Bill Turner, who recently moved into Bishopslea in De la Fontaine Road, their houseworker was on her way to their place at about 09:30 when two men who had been sitting underneath a tree along the banks of the Camphersdrift River, approached her and asked her for bread. 

But all of a sudden, one pulled out a knife and threatened her. The other snatched her handbag. "She said that she screamed, but two other men nearby did not lift a finger to come to her aid."

The woman, who wants to remain anonymous for security reasons, also had her cellphone and ID card in her handbag.

"We were away for a few days and she was going to clean our place before we returned," said Turner. "When she came to work on Monday, I took her to lay a charge at the police office. I think people should be informed that they should be careful when going for walks in this area. There are several retirement villages here and some elderly folk like to walk their dogs here."

"Many residents are apprehensive about the presence of homeless people in the bushes along the Camphersdrift River and who squat at the old magistrate's quarters on Davidson Road. We have nothing against them, but we believe there is a criminal element in their midst."

Cllr Sean Snyman, tasked with social development, said law enforcement does regular patrols and people have been removed from the site on numerous occasions. 

"But you only relocate the problem. It is not in the municipality's mandate to house homeless people and most of these people prefer not to live in a home. The law is such that you can not arrest them. It is a complex problem with no clear-cut solution."

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