BBRA Newsletter - NW/BW August 2019
NW/BW August 2019
Greetings to all residents. Firstly allow me to thank all those who attended our 2 public meetings at Crassula Hall earlier this month. It was very encouraging to experience the good attendance and the positive feedback received regarding the proposals made in the presentation.
Groete aan alle inwoners. Eerstens wil ek almal wat ons twee openbare vergaderings vroeër die maand in Crassulasaal bygewoon het, bedank. Dit was baie bemoedigend om die goeie bywoning sowel as die positiewe terugvoering oor die voorstelle wat in die voorlegging gemaak is te ervaar.
The meetings were well supported with a total of 130 residents attending. SAPS members from both the Cluster in Hermanus and the Kleinmond station were present. A representative from the Department of Community Safety (Western Cape Government) was in attendance. The main points emanating from the meetings are as follows:
The crime statistics for Betty's Bay were presented and indicated that Central and Rondevlei were the problem areas. Many people in Betty's Bay do not believe that we have a crime problem in Betty's Bay. (Stats given are at the end of this Newsletter).
It was agreed that a weekly whatsapp will be sent out summarising the crime situation.
The whole of Betty's Bay will suffer if we get labelled as a soft target as this will negatively affect property prices.
There are a total of 654 property owners on the BBNW data base which represents only 21% of the total stands in Bettys. This number needs to grow and we urge you to forward this link to friends/neighbours to encourage them to sign up. https://forms.gle/6CWz5NTht3gb6vim8
The need to use technology as a means to overcome the shortage of man power was presented. Cameras in Betty's Bay were suggested. An estimate of R50 per month from all residents would be required to fund such a project together which would include an armed response. By a show of hands there was an overwhelming support for this suggestion.
A Special Ratings Area was one method that could be used to have a sustainable income. This route would involve extensive negotiation with the Overstrand Municipality. It was suggested that we should explore entering into an agreement with the security companies as an alternative arrangement which could be implemented much quicker.
It was suggested that BBNW should gather statistics related to the cost of crime as this will put the suggested R50 per month, for cameras, into context.
Following the meetings and the mandate obtained the management of the BBNW will be redesigned to ensure that a more sustainable structure is put into place. The most important changes are as follows:
The role of the 7 area wardens will be expanded to include the establishment of a support structure in each area as well as an area specific whattsapp group.
The whattsapp groups that currently exist across all of Betty's Bay will be gradually eliminated as the area based structures become operational.
The existing whattsapp group between the Co-ordinator, Operational Co-ordinator and the Wardens will remain in place.
Information and crime statistics will be made available. Information gained from SAPS and Security Companies will be communicated without compromising the required confidentiality.
The investigation into the use of cameras and the various funding models will be accelerated and regular feedback will be provided.
Meetings with all the security companies will be held to promote co-operation between companies and the neighbourhood watches (Kleinmond,Betty's Bay, Pringle Bay and Rooi Els).
There are many reports received from residents about suspicious persons in the area. In many instances we respond from the opposite side of Betty's Bay and arrive too late on the scene. It is suggested that if you see a “suspect “person, make the effort of talking to them in a friendly manner and then determine whether they are really suspicious. Ask questions like : Where are you going and can I help you? It is our experience that if you talk to people in a friendly manner they will not be aggressive back to you, if they do then it is an indication that they are suspect. Then report the incident to us or your security company.
Die vergaderings is goed ondersteun deur die 130 inwoners wat dit bygewoon het. SAPS lede van die Hermanus en Kleinmond stasies en 'n verteenwoordiger van die Departement van Gemeenskapsveiligheid (Wes-Kaap regering) was ook teenwoordig. Die belangrikste aspekte wat uit die vergaderings voortgevloei het, is die volgende:
Die misdaadstatistiek van Bettysbaai is voorgelê, waarvolgens Sentraal en Rondevlei as die probleemareas aangetoon word. Baie mense in Bettysbaai glo nie dat ons ‘'n misdaadprobleem in Bettysbaai het nie. (Misdaadstatistiek word aan die einde van die nuusbrief aangedui.)
Dit is ooreengekom dat ‘'n whatsapp boodskap weekliks gestuur word, waarin die misdaadtoestand opgesom sal word.
Die hele Bettysbaai sal ly, indien ons as 'n maklike teiken identifiseer word, aangesien eiendomspryse negatief beïnvloed sal word.
Die BBNW databasis het 654 eiendomeienaars, wat 21% van die Bettysbaai standplase is. Hierdie aantal moet groei en u word versoek om die volgende skakel aan vriende of bure te stuur om hulle aan te moedig om by die BBNW aan te sluit. https://forms.gle/6CWz5NTht3gb6vim8
Die behoefte om tegnologie te gebruik ten einde die tekort aan arbeidskrag/werkkrag aan te spreek, is bespreek. Kameras in Bettysbaai word voorgestel. Benaderd R50 per maand sal van elke inwoner benodig word om dit te befonds. Dit sal ook gewapende reaksie insluit. By wyse van die opsteek van hande was daar 'n oorweldigende ondersteuning vir die voorstel.
'n Spesiale belastinggebied is een van die metodes om 'n volhoubare inkomste te verseker. Hierdie opsie sal egter omvattende onderhandeling met die Overstrand Munisipaliteit vereis. Dit is ook voorgestel dat 'n ooreenkoms met sekuriteitsmaatskappye 'n alternatiewe opsie is, wat moontlik baie gouer implementeer kan word.
Dit word ook voorgestel dat die BBNW statistiese data oor die koste van misdaad saamstel ten einde die voorgestelde R50 per maand vir kameras in konteks te plaas.
As gevolg van die vergaderings en die verkreë mandaat daarvan sal die organisasie van die BBNW hersien word ten einde 'n meer volhoubare struktuur te skep. Die belangrikste veranderings is die volgende:
Die rol van die 7 gebieds buurtwagte sal uitgebrei word om 'n ondersteuningstruktuur en 'n spesifieke whatsapp groep vir elke gebied te skep.
Die huidige whattsapp groepe van Bettysbaai sal geleidelik ontbind word soos die gebiedstrukture in bedryf gestel word.
Die huidige whattsapp groep tussen die Koördineerder, Bedryfskoördineerder en die Buurtwagte sal behou word.
Inligting en misdaadstatistiek sal beskikbaar gestel word en inligting wat van die SAPS en sekuriteitsmaatskappye verkry word, sal met die verlangde vertroulikheid kommunikeer word.
Die ondersoek na die gebruik van kameras en die verskillende befondsingsmodelle sal bespoedig en gereeld kommunikeer word.
Vergaderings sal met al die sekuriteitsmaatskappye gehou word om samewerking tussen maatskappye en die buurtwagte (Kleinmond,Bettysbaai, Pringlebaai en Rooiels) te promoveer.
Die voorkoms van verdagte persone in die gebied word deur verskeie inwoners rapporteer. In baie gevalle word van die teenoorgestelde kant van Bettysbaai reageer, wat die aankoms by die gebied te laat maak. Dit word voorgestel dat indien ‘'n verdagte person waargeneem word die persoon vriendelik genader word om vas te stel of hy/sy werklik verdag is. Die volgende vraag kan byvoorbeeld gevra word: “Waarnatoe gaan u en kan ek miskien help?” Volgens ondervinding reageer persone nie agressief indien die person vriendelik genader word nie. Indien hulle wel agressief reageer, kan dit by u sekuriteitsmaatskappy rapporteer word.
Donasies vir die kameraprojek en bedryfsuitgawes sal baie waardeer word.