Stellenbosch Municipality recently equipped local neighbourhood watches with resources to assist them in their efforts to create safer communities for residents.
This was according to Stuart Grobbelaar, spokesperson of Stellenbosch Municipality. Grobbelaar was joined by Mayor Gesie van Deventer, municipal manager Geraldine Mettler, and mayoral committee member for community and protection services, Rikus Badenhorst, in handing over the resources to the neighbourhood watches on 6 October.
“All accredited neighbourhood watches were contacted and could apply for assistance,” said Grobbelaar.
Stellenbosch Municipality recently equipped local neighbourhood watches with resources to assist them in their efforts to create safer communities for residents. “Neighbourhood watches work closely with private security, South African Police Service and law enforcement to patrol streets and provide intelligence that often leads to arrests,” said Stuart Grobbelaar, spokesperson for Stellenbosch Municipality. PHOTO: Supplied/Stuart Grobbelaar
Providing equipment
Stellenbosch Municipality provided local neighbourhood watches with the following items:
- 173 torches
- 134 handcuffs
- 130 handcuff pouches
- 100 bicycles
- 99 fire extinguishers
- 66 stun batons
This was according to Grobbelaar. The safety equipment and bicycles were provided to the municipality by the Western Cape department of transport and public works (DTPW), through their Provincial Sustainable Transport Programme (PSTP), he added.
Stellenbosch Municipality takes the voluntary service provided by their accredited neighbourhood watches very seriously, said Stuart Grobbelaar, spokesperson for the municipality. “We are always looking for opportunities to support and empower them with training and resources,” he added. PHOTO: Alexander Brand
“The PSTP was initiated […] to support the development and implementation of sustainable transport systems in the Western Cape,” said Jandré Bakker, the head of communication at the DTPW.
The fire extinguishers were supplied by FireKillas, an organisation based in Port Elizabeth, according to Bryan Moulang, co-founder of FireKillas.
“For this specific tender, however, we have also engaged and distributed FireKilla extinguishers to Kouga Municipality and Nelson Mandela Metro, both in the Eastern Cape,” said Moulang.
Brain Moulang, the co-founder of FireKillas, explains the tender process the business went through to supply the fire extinguishers to neighbourhood watches in Stellenbosch. AUDIO: Alexander Brand
Protecting the neighbourhood
One of the neighbourhood watches that received resources from the municipality was the Paradyskloof neighbourhood watch, according to Grobbelaar.
“The items donated to our neighbourhood watch will certainly help in our crime prevention. We have a very active neighbourhood watch committee, and our residents participate in our community meetings,” said Brian Shepherd, chairperson of the Paradyskloof neighbourhood watch.
On 6 October, Stellenbosch Municipality distributed equipment to all accredited local neighbourhood watches that applied for assistance. The resources donated will give the Paradyskloof neighbourhood watch a boost, and help its members during their patrols and call-outs, said Brian Shepherd, chairperson of the Paradyskloof neighbourhood watch. PHOTO: Supplied/Stuart Grobbelaar
Every street in Paradyskloof has a security street representative, according to Shepherd. “The donated items will initially be given to the members of the neighbourhood watch who have volunteered and who live in areas that have the most instances of crime, but this will be monitored continually,” said Shepherd.
The Jamestown neighbourhood watch also received resources, according to Elwin September, chairperson of the Jamestown neighbourhood watch.
“This will help us to quickly respond with patrolling in our streetwatch teams. [N]ow we can cover more streets with the new bicycles and torches,” said September.
A graph showing the resources donated to local neighbourhood watches by Stellenbosch Municipality. GRAPH: Alexander Brand