As some of you may be aware, many parts of our City has suffered an increase in criminal activity in recent months. The increased crime did not go unnoticed by the SICID management and behind the scenes we have been working very hard to make a positive contribution to combating crime and stemming this new increase.

The SICID management and Public Safety Service Provider meet with local SAPS officials and Law Enforcement on a weekly basis. In doing an analysis of crime with our primary crime fighting partners, the SAPS and Law Enforcement, the analysis showed how the crime incidents are of different types, times of the day and days of the week. We also noted that most of the reported crimes are on private property.  The other incidents of crime is mostly motor related crime, either theft of motor vehicles or theft from motor vehicles. In the case of theft of motor vehicles, the focus seems to be on older model vehicles that are easy to steal. On further investigation we can also note that the theft of vehicles has mostly happened during the daytime while property related crime mostly occur at night.

As an additional response to all matters crime-related, we have prepared the THE CITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT GUIDE TO CRIME PREVENTION – INCLUDING SAFETY TIPS

Some of the basic tips are included below but we have dedicated an entire page of the Stikland CID website to Safety Tips covering the following topics: – You can click on each item and we will link you to that section of our Safety Tips Page

• Safety Tips to Prevent Property Crime
• Business and Retail Security
• Dealing with Cash in Your Business
• Be Careful Who You Hire
• Safety Tips for Commuters & Staff Using Public Transport
• ATM Security
• Safety Tips to Avoid Hijackings
• Why Criminals Outsmart Motorists in Smash and Grabs
• Safety Tips in Rainy Weather
• Don’t Be a Victim of Cyber-Crime

The most important element for all readers of this guide is to change your mindset.  If you are under the impression, albeit subconsciously, that crime only affects others, then it’s time for a reality check.

Prevention is better than cure, therefore we urge property and business owners to make every effort to prepare their properties, businesses, staff and themselves against criminal action.

Although we distribute local SAPS and Law Enforcement contact details we suggest the following: “If there is an emergency, call 10111. You could be wasting time in an emergency if you contact a sector vehicle or local SAPS. A sector vehicle could be attending to another crime. It is best to call 10111 because available police officers will attend. People also tend to call the SAPS first if someone is stabbed or shot for example. In instances like this, first call an ambulance. It could save the person’s life.

We scoured various guides and articles on safety and security and have summarised the following safety tips and guidelines.  We realise that not all these may be applicable to everyone, nor do we suggest that our lists are comprehensive and all-encompassing.  We do however believe that these tips make good business sense.

SAFETY TIPS TO PREVENT PROPERTY CRIME

1. Ensure that your property can be secured properly. This includes checking all locks, gates, doors, windows and roller shutters.
2. Ensure there are no gaps in your fence or perimeter wall or unintentional points of access to your home which may need additional security.
3. Make sure that all bushes or trees close to your walls, gates and fences are trimmed, to avoid the possibility of intruders hiding behind them or using them to access your property.
4. Adequate lighting around the perimeter of your house acts as a good deterrent
5. Connecting outdoor lights to timers and motion sensors act as an additional deterrent.
6. Have an alarm installed by a reputable security company with armed response.
7. The key to effective security lies in being able to detect a potential intruder before they gain access. Adding detection beams and sensors of electrical fences vastly contributes to property security
8. Ensure that your alarm is in working order. Business and property owners should test their alarms at least once a month and should the system require servicing this should be arranged as early as possible.
9. Please ensure that all the key holder information is available and ensure that key holders are available and able to come out to the property should the alarm activate, and checking be required.
10. Don’t leave ladders, spades or tools outside as these can be excellent break-in tools.
11. Ensure that remote controls for automatic gates and garage doors are not left lying around.
12. Always be alert to vehicles or persons following you into your entrance or the parking area.

Access control

13. If people arrive to read electricity or water meters on your property, insist on seeing official identification and if possible, follow up with the relevant department before you allow them in.
14. Be aware that people may present themselves with a ruse that they are doing collections for various ‘charities’ – this is almost guaranteed to be a scam.

Sadly, we recently also noticed that more and more property owners are becoming apathetic towards the safety of their property and goods and we would like to suggest the following good practices/preventative measures to prevent loss/theft.

Recently we have noticed that more and more property owners are becoming apathetic towards the safety of their property and goods and we would like to suggest the following good practices/preventative measures to prevent loss/theft.

THE OLD SAYING

“PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE”

ALSO MAKES GOOD PRACTICAL BUSINESS SENSE!

You can also download this document by clinking on this link

CITY OF CAPE TOWN

20 MARCH 2018

STATEMENT BY THE CITY’S EXECUTIVE DEPUTY MAYOR, ALDERMAN IAN NEILSON

Let’s keep our water-saving focus, Team Cape Town

As at Monday 19 March 2018, our collective consumption over the past week was 565 million litres of water per day. Unfortunately, usage has increased by 54 million litres per day from last week’s record low of 511 million litres per day. Nevertheless, we are confident that our water users will again shatter water use records in the weeks ahead. Read more below:

Our dam levels have shown only a slight decline of 0,3% to 22,7% . This is the lowest decline in dam levels this year to date. This can likely be attributed to somewhat lower evaporation rates and small amounts of rainfall, especially in the Steenbras Dam area.

We will continue to monitor the water usage trend to see whether the increase in consumption is a once-off occurrence or whether there is another underlying reason that would need to be addressed.

Level 6B water restrictions are still in place. Water pressure reduction remains in place, water management devices continue to be installed on the connections of high water users and the bills based on 6B tariffs are reaching consumers. It is essential that we all continue to save water.

All water users are reminded that the City is still required by the National Government to reduce water usage to 450 million litres per day in order to stretch the available water supplies through the rest of the year. This equates to a reduction of 45% from normal usage. We are currently hovering at just below a 40% reduction. A sustained collective push is now required to reduce consumption by just 5% in order to achieve our target.

We will continue to drive our initiatives to reduce water consumption. This will include advanced pressure management, the installation of water management devices at the properties of high water users and proactively implementing advanced water restrictions and associated tariffs to encourage behaviour change.

If all Capetonians join us by keeping their consumption down to 50 litres of water a day, or less, we will avoid having to take more drastic actions.

Please visit www.capetown.gov.za/thinkwater for all water-related information, including Level 6B restrictions and FAQs about Day Zero as well as tips to lower usage even further.

The Stikland CID plays a vital role in the efforts by all Capetonians to save water. 

Quite often our patrols vehicles detect the leaking water meters and burst pipes in the small hours of the morning and through the Stikland CID Control Room alert the City of Cape Town as soon as possible.  This results in a quick reaction from maintenance crews but more importantly, vast amounts of wasted water are prevented from leaking away into the storm water system because the City can shut off water supply and make repairs.  

Often the only evidence of this vital work is the sandy patch in the road from the work done while the rest of us were fast asleep.   

PICTURE: 

Stikland CID patrol vehicle in background with water leaking in foreground at night