July 2008

“You really can change the world if you care enough.” Marian Edelman

On the positive note sounded in the above quotation, your CRA exec cares enough to want to change our suburbs for the better, hence much work on forming a City Improvement District – CID – and, as part of that vision, the implementation of a much more effective pro-active security scheme.

In this issue: l further meeting about the new PSS scheme with CSS Tactical PLUS extract from ‘Carte Blanche’  l  Crime feedback  l A Spring fair and community activities l Traffic update  l Paying 2008 subs l  We need your survey forms l Support a community garden l  Craighall Primary turns 90 l  Community notices  l exec contact details

 Security meeting reminder – Public Space Security – PSS with CSS

Wednesday 9 July at 18:00 at Craighall Primary School 

Residents who were unable to attend the first information meeting about the new PSS scheme asked if we could arrange another information evening. This we have done and we look forward to seeing you there. June was a bad crime month in our area – see some information below. We cannot emphasize enough that for your safety and well being, how important it is to work together as a community and support any initiative that helps us deal more effectively with the scourge of crime.  

Quote from Carte Blanche programme 6/7/08 #: “2007/2008 also saw a rise in residential robberies and car-jackings. Car-jackings went up by 4.5 percent to 14 200, while residential robberies went up by 13.5 percent to a total of 14 481. Its middle and higher income suburbs that are mostly targeted says Dr Chris de Kock of the SAPS…”…. “The main issue in terms of these crimes is really prevention."

# See an extract at the end of this newsletter plus a link to Carte Blanche’s web site for commentary on the effectiveness of preventive measures such as those employed by CSS Tactical.  

Signing up for the new PSS scheme is easy – either go on line to www.cra.org.za or contact Simonne Mungle, Recruitment and Marketing, at braveheart@netactive.co.za. 

Crime feedback

We are informed that crime incidents in our area more than doubled in June. This is a trend that we warned of, aggravated by a number of circumstances including our neighbouring suburbs having more effective crime prevention measures in place. Read what a resident has to say after being shot at a few days ago…   

“…We were attacked in our lounge at 7.45 last night....we were watching TV and heard a loud smash in the lounge...I went to investigate and found 3  people trying to enter... one, from half a metre, fired a 9mm at me.....I dont know how it missed...it was point blank..[My wife] hit the panic button.... 2 people then grabbed her for her ring....I battled with the other chap....he managed to hit me over the head with a vase.....blood everywhere .....I took a chance and shouted that the armed response company was coming ... with that they fortunately fled.....We are fine, but having trauma counselling today.....

Please guys learn from this.......please beef up your security...they catch you unawares...”  Craighall resident (Alexandra Ave) 

·         Is your life not worth R4620 per year?

The CRA is very much aware that we have many residents who are feeling the pinch with the increasing COL – but we implore you to consider – is your life not worth R4620 per year? The cost of securing our streets and public spaces with the PSS scheme is R385 per month (CSS is now assisting with the administrative costs of eg the CRA running the debit order administration). If you watched Carte Blanche on Sunday 6 July (rather than the tennis!) you would have seen that CSS Tactical were interviewed and were able to provide statistical information that showed that where they operate, crime has been significantly reduced. 

We cannot implement the new scheme without your support. Why not sign up and if you don’t see a difference after six months, you only have to give a month’s notice. 

·         Urgent call for 2 hours of your time once a month

Dealing with crime demands a multi-faceted approach. Here, the Domestic Watch programme is playing a vital role in equipping the hundreds of people who work/live here with invaluable skills in being crime preventers. Right now, the monthly Domestic Watch meetings continue only thanks to the efforts of a handful of volunteers, like Kerryn Lawson and Sue Glover. We urgently need more volunteers to help at each meeting – with enough volunteers, you would only need to give 2 hours of your time every second month, on the last Friday of the month. 

Contact Kerryn Lawson at 082 452 7962 or email kerrynl@meropa.co.za.

Next DW meeting: Friday 25 July at 12:00, Wesleyan Church, Norfolk Ave, CHP. 

·         Reporting crime

Many people ask for actual crime statistics. This seems to be an area fraught with difficulties and last year, the CRA introduced an on-line system on its web site where residents could let us know about any crime incident, no matter how small. This seems to have been forgotten – so, if you are unlucky enough to be a crime victim, it will be very helpful if you would let us know – go to http://www.cra.org.za/incident_advice.htm. 

Other security matters – contact –

Philip Bond -  philip.b@bondstationers.co.za : volunteer for a SAPS patrol today!

Eric Glover -  ericglover@wbs.co.za

Richard King - richard.king@za.bp.com 

Spring into spring!

Under the stewardship of Kirsty Falkenberg, the Community Affairs is being revitalised, with input from a group of residents (Janda Macdonald, Tracey Haines, Celia Falkenberg, Caroline Easter, Mandy Porter). A fun community day is being planned for 6 September – we’ll keep you posted. Kirsty has also secured the support of Spar to have a community notice board at the shop. 

Traffic matters

Our Ward Councillor Ian Ollis persuaded the CSIR that they should do a traffic management analysis of our area. This will be submitted to the City Council and will provide more back up to the CRA traffic management / safety request list recently submitted to the Joburg Roads Agency. We cannot, of course, guarantee that even with this input, anything will happen in the next few months, let alone this year… Yet another good reason to support the formation of a City Improvement District (CID) which will give us the financial resources to act and do swiftly.

Community happenings

Craighall Primary School celebrates its 90^th birthday this year, along with Nelson Mandela.  In paying tribute to an individual its learners regard as the ultimate role model, the School will plant a 90^th anniversary time capsule on 18 July, Madiba‘s birthday. The school is also calling on all past pupils to make contact – call Tanya 011 788 7223 or email craighallprimary@global.co.za. 

Support a community vegetable garden

Resident John Corrie has, on his own initiative, started a community vegetable garden behind Colourful Splendour Nursery. He would also like to start a worm farm and show eg children how this is ecologically friendly/ how to have their own garden, in addition to selling vegetable seedlings and vegetables to our community.  John needs R13 000 to get this project off the ground (pardon the pun!) and thereafter it should be self-sustaining. The CRA has made a donation to John but if anyone would also like to help, or knows a company that can help, contact Paulette Malcolm, 082 452 9322 / 011 787 3680, malcolmj@global.co.za.

 Next River Market eco-project  

SATURDAY 12 JULY 2008 08:30 to 13:00, Craighall Park, REEA in Marlborough Avenue, next to Colourful Splendour Nursery. From pony rides and organic and natural vegetables, to clothes, candles and shopping bags, here’s your chance to also support self-help groups who are guided by re-using and recycling,  

Calling all interested in woodworking

The Wits Woodworkers Association – WWA - is a club for those interested in woodworking and woodturning with a club house at REEA, Marlborough Avenue. More details can be found at http://mysite.mweb.co.za/residents/tpope/homepage.html or contact Trevor Pope 083 388-2214.

 ** Survey forms for proposed City Improvement District - CID

The date for completing the survey form has been extended until further notice. It’s available on-line www.cra.org.za/questionnaire_Mar08.htm.

 ** 2008 subscriptions

A 2008 subs form was included in last month’s Crier and is also downloadable at http://www.cra.org.za/cra_subscription.htm.     At less than R20 a month, that’s good value! 

# Extract from Carte Blanche 6/7/08

To watch the video - Go to the following link:

1.       www.carteblanche.co.za

2.       On the bottom of the main page Click on: "Visit the new Video Gallery - Filled with M-Net shows and exclusive video"

3.       You will then be taken to a new page

4.       Click on Carte Blanche - Under Siege - PART 2 - What ordinary South Africans are doing to protect themselves and their properties from Crime 

Carte Blanche extract:

Devi: "The suburb of Dunkeld in Johannesburg has seen over the past year what a pro-active approach can do. The result: Almost zero crime."

Their secret? Security cameras and 24-hour patrols.

Down the road, a suspicious looking vehicle is spotted and the registration number is immediately radioed to the control room. And you don't loiter around here, even if you are working for Carte Blanche.

Devi: "How long have you been working then in the Dunkeld area?"

Bryan Diamond (MD: CSS Tactical): "Well, we've been there for approximately a year. What we did was the first six months was the initial phase one, whereby we introduced two vehicles into the area and we introduced the forty-five cameras that they have literally on every single street corner. We introduced those cameras in about March this year. And since we've launched the cameras we've found a huge decrease in crime for two reasons. One, the criminals don't want to be caught on camera, so they just don't enter into the area, the other reason being that because we are monitoring the cameras we get to those people a lot quicker."

But, security like this comes at a cost. The 500 households in Dunkeld each pay more than a thousand rand a month for the right to sleep in peace. Initiatives like this contribute to the security industry's annual turnover of around R50-billion, and about two-fifths of that ends up back with the revenue service through various taxes and levies.

This is an attempted hijacking in progress that took place in Dunkeld after the project was implemented. The criminals followed this family from a nearby shopping centre. But the criminals stood no chance.
The patrol vehicle arrived within seconds and the hijackers scurried away. Police crime statistics show that Dunkeld is virtually crime free compared to other suburbs in the same precinct…..

Executive contact details

Heritage, Peter                                Traffic/CID                          083 261 7576                                peterlucy@absamail.co.za
Acting Chair July/August

Glover, Eric                                      Security                             011 787 1425                                ericglover@wbs.co.za

King, Richard                                   Security/CID                      083 401 5174                                 richard.king@za.bp.com

Bond, Philip                                      Security [SAPS]                 082 448 6267                                philip.b@bondstationers.co

Thompson, Blyth                              Security                              083 288 7288                                computerbird@telkomsa.net                   

de Roland-Phillips, Bianca                Town Planning/CID           083 390-7194                                brokleder@global.co.za

Meyer, Roly                                     TP                                     442-6801 T/F                                 rolymeyer@mweb.co.za

Malcolm, Paulette                              CID/Civic affairs                 082 452 9322                                malcolmj@global.co.za

Taylor, Chris                                    Environment/CID               083 294 5845                                 chris@fr.co.za        

Karen Hoffa                                      Environment (pavements) 083 639 0992                                  karen.hoffia@wbs.co.za                                                                      

McAllister, Wendy                             Communications/CID         011 325-7165                                 wendym@creativecoms.co.za

NB! FAX: 325 7160                                

Rattey, Kendall                                Treasurer                           082 882-7110                                 prattey@mweb.co.za

Kirsty Falkenberg                            Community activities            083 463 2360                                  kirsty@snapshots.co.za

Ian Ollis                                            Ward Councillor/Advisory   881 6016 / 082 714 7572               ianollis@lantic.net

CID/PSS scheme (ex officio)

Amy Allen (CID)                                                                         083 443 4690                                  tonto@global.co.za 

Sarah Chorley (CID)                                                                 083 389 5343                                  sarah@chorley.co.za

Catherine Goodwin (CID)                                                          083 629 8500                                  cgoodwin@absamail.co.za                     

Simonne Mungle (PSS, info on CSS Tactical)                            083 266 9369                                  braveheart@netactive.co.za