Online Reporter
Enough is enough!
When masked gunmen can casually walk into two EcoCash outlets within days, point firearms at terrified workers and stroll away with thousands of dollars, every cash business in Bulawayo has reason to lose sleep.
First it was Emganwini. Then Cowdray Park.
The locations changed, but the script remained chillingly familiar. Balaclavas. Firearms. Defenceless workers. Thousands of dollars gone in minutes.
The biggest victims are not the missing banknotes.
They are the young cashiers whose working day became a living nightmare. They are the supervisors and attendants who were forced to lie on the floor, unsure whether they would walk out alive.
Long after the crime scene has been cleared, the fear lingers. That emotional scar cannot be counted in dollars and cents.
Nobody should have to choose between earning a salary and risking their life.
These robberies should serve as a loud wake-up call to every business that handles cash. Criminals are always looking for weak spots. Opening time. Closing time. Workers left alone. Poor lighting.
No cameras. No security guard. These are invitations no business can afford to send.
Security is no longer a luxury. It is a necessity.
Visible security guards, functioning CCTV cameras, panic buttons, alarm systems and strict cash-handling procedures are investments in human life, not just property. Businesses must also stop leaving one employee to open or close premises alone. Convenience should never come before safety.
But this fight cannot be left to business owners alone.
Communities know their neighbourhoods better than anyone else. Suspicious vehicles parked for long periods, strangers repeatedly watching businesses, unusual movements around cash outlets and information about criminal activities should never be ignored. One phone call could stop the next robbery before it happens.
The police have also issued practical advice. Bank cash regularly. Do not resist armed robbers. Report suspicious activity immediately. These are not empty slogans. They are simple steps that could save lives.
At the same time, law enforcement deserves every possible resource to track down those responsible. Armed robbery is not a petty offence. Every gang taken off the streets makes Bulawayo safer for workers, shoppers and families. We must never become comfortable with headlines about armed robberies.
The day we begin treating these crimes as “just another incident” is the day criminals start believing they own our streets.
Bulawayo has always been known for its hard-working people and resilient businesses. That spirit must never be overshadowed by fear. Cashiers should serve customers with confidence, not glance nervously at every person who walks through the door.
To businesses: tighten security before criminals force you to.
To communities: speak up when something looks wrong.
To the gunmen: your masks may hide your faces, but they do not place you above the law.
Bulawayo belongs to honest, hard-working people, not armed thugs. It is time for every stakeholder to stand together and make sure crime finds no safe place to hide.
