Cape Town - Humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers, known for helping anyone in distress, has been dealt a heavy blow after its offices in Cape Town were burgled on Monday.
The offices in Athlone were found trashed with valuable items stolen.
According to Gift of the Givers project manager Ali Sablay, staff entering the premises noticed the main door of the building was open.
“As they put their foot in, they saw it was a complete mess.
“The area is still a crime scene. Police are still on the scene.
“We can confirm a laptop, PC, TV and clothing were stolen. The clothing that was stolen was being packed by our team to make packs for the fire victims in the last six fires that have occurred in the Western Cape.
“Upstairs, we are yet to see what was taken. The staircase and offices are in a complete mess at the moment.
“Some awards and frames that were given to Gift of the Givers were also stolen,” Sablay told IOL.
He said it was heartbreaking to know these items were stolen. The stolen laptop contains extremely important information of those seeking assistance for various reasons.
Sablay urged whoever took the laptop to please return it.
“The laptop that was stolen: if we could just have that back. On that laptop are the names of people who came to register for any social assistance in terms of food hampers. Some soup kitchens have come to register, people who require wheelchairs, schools who require stationery. People who were affected by fires are also registered on there,” Sablay said.
He has called on communities to call out the criminal elements living among them.
“It’s children in your home, your neighbours, your son, your brother that has caused this havoc in the community.
“With this now, it could have been their own mother or grandmother coming to register for assistance, but now all that information is gone. It’s time the community stopped blaming the police and everything because this is clear criminality operating in the area,” Sablay told IOL.