What can you do??

My flatmate was mugged last night.
In the basement of our apartment block.

She got out of her car, was walking through the small parking lot, to the foyer and elevator, and some dumbass guy jumped out from behind a pillar, pretending to have a gun in his pocket (who knows, maybe he actually did). He told her to shut up or he’d kill her.
He didn’t grab her bag and run. Rather he made her tip it out and sort through it.
He took her camera, phone, cash & atm card. He left her house keys, car keys and such things as her credit card.
He made her give him her atm card code. And repeat it several times. And told her if it was the wrong one he’d kill her. Obviously it was the wrong made-up one.
He patted her down and ran out.

Our caretaker was a bastard to her, and barely helped her out. Finally he let her use the phone to call 10111. She phoned 10111 (national emergency police number) 3 to 4 times. No one answered. She finally phoned people who phoned her parents in the Cape who phoned me in a pub and asked me to go back to the flat.

I then phoned the local police station. PLEASE NOTE: The local Police Station is literally one block away from our front door. The first call went unanswered. The second call was answered, but I almost wished it wasn’t.

“Hi. My flatmate has just been mugged in **** street”.
(Angry tone) “SO WHY IS SHE NOT HERE??”
“Because she is terrified. Listen. We live in that street. She will report it tomorrow morning. We just want you to check out the area now and keep an eye on our block tonight and for a few more days”.
(Angry irritated couldn’t-care-less tone) “WHAT???”
Repeat
“HUH????
Repeat slowly in new wording
“Listen, phone 10111”.
“Yes, well, we have. They are not answering. Look. I am not asking you to come here now and do an investigation. We do not feel safe and would appreciate if you could realise that there are guys mugging in the area, in our flat basement, and we would like you to watch this area for awhile”.
“Jaaaa, whatever, sure”.
“Thanks, and your name is??”
“Gulp. Its Lieutenant ***.”
“Thanks. Good night.

Ja right.
He did not even ask if she was hurt. If he could immediately rush over. How he could help. Nothing. He definitely did not inspire confidence or trust.

This morning we found out that some guy (the same guy or a friend?) stuck a pole through our ground floor neighbour’s bedroom window last night, got a hold of her bag, and stole some of her cards and all her and her flatmate’s keys (for the flat, the apartment block, cars etc. )

I get home anytime of night between 7pm and 6am. Alone. What exactly am I supposed to do?? Not go back to my flat in the dark hours? Not leave the flat during dark hours? Come home with my flatmate every time or ask her to meet me when I arrive home (or vice versa) …no wait, she’s a female too, he’d hold us both up. Ask the cops to escort me home? Ja right. Have 10111 on speed dial? Ha Ha Ha – sob.

We actually do not know. We both are clueless.

In the meantime I will be tracking down the complaints’ line number that apparently you can call to say 10111 doesn’t help you. (That’s how bad they’ve become!)
And email my Ward Councillor to complain about 10111, my local police, and the escalating crime in the area. And hope he reacts.
I asked my landlady what she will do and she said “finally get the gate fixed and I most certainly am not paying that last gate guy. He obviously never fixed it from opening on its own”. Thanks. I think. And how about a security guard on the premises? “But there are too many entrances to watch and he’d probably get mugged anyway if he doesn’t get bribed and so just turn a blind eye to it”.

What can you do?