1. NMB Service Delivery “War Room”:
It is hoped that this project will continue on an ongoing basis, because the engine room of the Metro is now being customer driven. John Best and Lee-Ann Meiring and their team must be congratulated on the superb job that they are doing. The call centre, also known as the Service Delivery War Room, is efficient and friendly operators issue a reference number for each complaint, and feedback is provided.
Water leaks, pot-holes, broken street lights, electricity problems and blocked sewers are just some of the everyday problems that can be reported, 24/7.
Please report any service delivery problems to 0800 20 50 50.
2. Crime in the area:
All incidents of Crime must please be reported to 10111. Humewood SAPS Beachfront Sector – Lt Colonel Wessel Ebersohn on 082 303 0508.
If NHW patrollers note any problems whilst on patrol, such as leaking water or sewer pipes or overflowing manholes, or street lights not working, please send me an email with the details. Reports received are immediately sent on to the JOC and Metro officials for action. Please do remember to email me, as you are my eyes and ears in your suburb!
- House burglaries: It is apparent that Summerstrand is still being targeted by gangs and there have been many incidents of house burglaries and theft out of motor vehicles. Please ensure that your house alarm is switched on at night and whenever you leave the property. Always exercise caution. Be aware of your surroundings. Park your vehicle inside your property and never leave anything visible inside it. Please take care!!
- Illegal car guards and vagrants look for opportunities: The Metro Safety & Security division and the Humewood SAPS have increased patrols along
- our beachfront, and several arrests have been made. When at the beach, please do not leave your belongings unattended when you go for a swim. Do not leave items visible in your car. Lock them in the boot. The illegal car-guards and vagrants are responsible for most incidents!! Please be careful!!
- NMMU students sometimes tend to make too much noise when at a house party. If you are bothered by such a disturbance, please call 10111 and lodge a complaint. Keep me informed.
- Vagrants & squatters near Flat Rocks: Occupants of the 13 illegal shacks have been added to the Metro Housing list and no new shacks will be allowed in this area. The bush along Marine Drive is being trimmed and cleared outwards, for 30 meters, along the seaward side of the road. Once completed, the same will happen on the landward side, between the road and the golf course.
- Beachfront Safety Sector Forum – BSSF: Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month, at 12 noon. The next meeting is on Tuesday, 16th August, at the Courtyard Hotel. All aspects of crime and safety along the beachfront are discussed, as well as any tourist related incidents in the Metro. Please let us know of any issues that need to be placed on the agenda. Please do not give street children or vagrants any money or food, as it keeps them in the area, and on the street.
Kabega’s W/O Willem van Heerden provided some insight into the recent Theescombe murder case, and the lessons that must be learnt:
- The murder suspect was arrested in Tulbagh a month ago, where he is now being tried on a housebreaking case. Once the case is completed, the suspect will be brought to PE to stand trial on charges of murder. He remains in custody.
- This man was a labourer who had been employed by the deceased, and it appears that his credentials were never checked.
- It is very important to ensure that everyone who stays on your property, or who rents your property, or who works for you, must be checked out. Always request a copy of their ID and have it checked by the local SAPS. Get their details, contact numbers of family, addresses, etc, so that you can be sure that they are trustworthy, reliable and traceable! Know who is working for you or staying on your property!
- You cannot just pick someone off the street anymore. 98% of violent crimes are caused by people who have access to your safety perimeter.
- You must control your environment and you must take charge of your own personal space. If you do not do this, you cannot blame anyone.
- The recent abduction of the muscular dystrophy victim was from a secure complex, in Beverley Grove. There had been several incidents at this complex, and this gang was obviously watching and planning their moves. They know what they are doing. Fortunately the victim was found along the Cuyler Manor road, alive. Three arrests have been made and one perpetrator is still at large.
- Armed robbery gangs are turning their attention to house robberies in the residential areas
- and one gang was recently arrested in Seaview, when trying to rob a household. There has been a sharp increase in House Robberies and Housebreaking, and we must all be vigilant. NHW patrols play a very important part in ensuring community safety, as these gangs know what areas are more protected than others. Always be aware of your surroundings, and take precautions! Be proactive. Work together with your NHW team.
Gangs are targeting shopping centre car-parks, using remote devices to block the remote locking of your vehicle.
3. Problems in the area:
- Vagrants and street children: Large gatherings of vagrants have been reported near McArthur Baths, at Hobie Beach and at the Admiralty Beacon. The BSSF continues to work with all role-players in looking at the many complex issues involved. Efforts will continue to ensure that action is taken against these people who live, loiter and litter in the area. If harassed by someone, please let me have the details!! Please do not give money or food to these people, as it encourages them to stay in the area. It has been reported that some churches are feeding these vagrants on a regular basis. This certainly does not help the situation, in fact, it raises the level of crime in the area. If you really want to assist, please send any donations to Maranatha, in Southdene, behind the airport. Then you will be making a real difference!!
- Beachfront toilets not being locked at night: A recent site inspection proved that most blocks have been left open, and vagrants were using these as shelters for the night. Officials admitted that locks had been changed during the FIFA World Cup, and access to the keys had been problematic. Please contact Dean of myself if you notice any toilet blocks that have been left open after 6pm, as we have been assured that this matter has been resolved. Regular Security patrols have also been requested.
- Illegal Dumping continues unchecked: If you see someone dumping, take a picture and/or their registration details, and please forward
- this to your local councillor. Please also report any new dump sites.
- Mercado Centre: Efforts will continue to have pedestrian crossings installed across both Admiralty Way and Strandfontein Road. If people are drinking in the car-park, call 10111 and lodge a complaint.
- Something Good building at Pollok Beach car-park: The caravan finally left the area at the end of June and the Metro security guard was also withdrawn from the Something Good building. Within a day, this building was vandalised and stripped and officials have since secured it. The H&L committee recently agreed that the empty “Something Good” building, since renamed “Something Bad”, should be let out on tender for a five year period. The advert will hopefully be placed soon, so that possible tenants can upgrade this building in time for the Summer season.
- Storm-water: The Summerstrand Storm-water project has been affected by the Metro’s financial crisis and alternative options have been requested, as residents affected by the surging flood-waters, after 20 minutes of heavy rain, cannot be expected to cope with the present dangerous situation. If we do have heavy rain, please be very cautious at the Kock Street and Admiralty intersection, Louis Botha Crescent, and the Erasmus Drive and Burger Street intersection. The overflowing storm-water drain on Admiralty Way, alongside Cape Recife School, has been blocked by a log, and repairs are currently being made to ensure that this pipe is unblocked.
- Poor General maintenance: Due to the Metro’s financial crisis, there are limited funds to clear the sand off the Humpback Dolphin trail boardwalks, which means that large sections are unusable by the elderly and disabled, which is shameful. Efforts will continue, as this facility must be kept usable for everyone. New wheelchair access ramps have just been installed at the 11th Avenue / Brighton Drive intersection, and Bournemouth / 11th Avenue intersection. Thanks are extended to Tony Arthur and the Metro Roads Division for these improvements, which will assist all wheelchair users.
- Alleged illegal land usage: 81 Admiralty Way – The Building Inspectorate are investigating activities at this property. 60 Rubin Crescent – Large trucks are parked on the verge and adjacent open space.
- Illegal Taxi rank at Gomery Road & University Way: Despite numerous requests for policing, the traffic hazards, u-turns, congestion, pollution and environmental concerns remain a major problem at this illegal site. Efforts will continue to resolve these matters, as motorists and pedestrians are placed in danger by these negligent taxi drivers. The broken pavements have just been replaced, but the taxi’s still drive all over them and they will soon start to break again.
4. Student Accommodation and Student Noise:
Noise problems have been reported at the following problem properties: 19, 27, 36, 55 Ivana Drive; 1 Gomery Road; 65 Gomery Road; 20 Louis Botha Crescent and 3 Kolbe Crescent.
If you have a noise complaint, at any time of the day or night, please call 10111 and lodge a complaint. The SAPS must visit and warn the culprits. If the problem continues, they will return and confiscate the sound equipment. Keep me advised, via email, and we will add the property to our investigations. Hopefully the NMMU forum will meet soon to discuss problem properties.
5. Traffic Matters:
Please report illegal activities / speeding hotspots to the Metro Call centre at 041 – 585 1555. When you call in a complaint, request a reference number, so that progress can be tracked.
- Speed monitoring has been requested along Admiralty Way, Marine Drive, Strandfontein Road.
- Pearson School drop-off zone: Traffic congestion and issues around Pearson need to be resolved, and it is proposed to make Jenvey Road a one-way, heading west, between Tee and Brewer Roads. Do you support this? If not, please send me an email with your alternative suggestion.
6. General:
- Street Lights: Cable theft is rife and many sections of road are now in darkness because the cables have been dug up and stolen. If you notice suspicious activity, please alert the Service Delivery JOC, who will alert the necessary officials.
- Dogs on beaches: Please note that these new regulations and zones are being enforced, so always have your dog on a leash and use a pooper scooper. Please leave the beach and area as you would like to find it!! When visiting places like Schoenies and Sards, remember to keep your dogs on their leashes. It is the new by-law, and it is to be enforced.
- Ward 1 office computer and email system needs urgent upgrade: The Ward office is in desperate need of a fully functional and modern computer, loaded with Windows XP Professional and Windows 2007. We also need a reliable internet connection and we need to install a proper SMS system for instant messaging, to enhance our services to you!! Sadly, our current system is often down / offline / unreliable. Can you help? Let us know!
- International Coastal Clean-up – Saturday, 17th September: Would you like to be involved in the Ward 1 project, where we intend to clean up between Pollok Beach and Flat Rocks? Please contact Yolande. We need helpers, sponsors, team leaders, etc!!
Sponsored prizes – Grateful thanks are extended to: Chong-E Chinese Mini market, Seagate Centre, Torquay Street. Total Summerstrand, Admiralty Way, for car-wash vouchers. Linga Longa Café, Mercado Centre.
Please support our sponsors with your patronage. If you are able to donate any prizes for our future meetings, and want some exposure and publicity, please contact Yolande or myself.
7. Ward 1 Committee:
Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of every second month, at 5.30pm. Observers are always welcome and dates for 2011 are: Wednesday, 7th September, and 2nd November.
Sincere thanks are extended to the ten Ward 1 Committee members who assisted during my first five-year term in the ward, and who continue to assist me: Mariette Rossouw, George Adams, Trevlyn Lotz, John Veltman, Gail Cillie, Rob Wylde, Rose Trehaeven, Dave McIntosh, Herman Nell, Gail Brown.
Elections are to be held soon to elect a new Ward committee for our new term of office. Are you interested? Let us know. Nominations will be called soon.
Ward1
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