Wellington watch kicks off
2005-07-28
Engela Duvenage
WITH the launch of a campaign to attract paying members, the initiative to set up a neighbourhood watch and curb crime is slowly gaining momentum for the Wellington Watch.
The non-profit Section 21 company was set up by local businessmen and concerned citizens during the first half of the year, in response to the levels of crime being experienced in the Wellington area, especially in neighbourhoods such as Berg-en-dal, Nuwe Uitsig and Wellington Central.
The need for a neighbourhood watch was strongly expressed during a well-attended public meeting after the Bain Street murder.
The Board of the Section 21 company recently endorsed ADT Security as the preferred security service provider.
“We have distributed, through our preferred security provider ADT Security, 2000 newsletters to Wellington residents,” says Deon van Rooyen, chairman of Wellington Watch.
“We will be distributing more newsletters in the new school term and the information is available at the local Spar.”
The Board says that the use of a paid security company is in response to the national prohibition placed on crime watch organisations around the country from paying police reservists to pro-actively patrolling residential areas.
According to the Wellington Security Newsletter, which was delivered to the homes of residents during the past few weeks, “crime watches around the country have had to make alternative arrangements to curb escalating crime in these areas.”
In other areas of Wellington, such as Weltevreden, residents have formed their own neighbourhood watches and do the patrolling duties themselves.
“The benefits for a neighbourhood watch of linking up with a private security company are that it will have access to the advanced and expert management systems we have in place,” says Adrian Good, Managing Director of ADT Security in the Western Cape.
“Staff will have access to industry-accredited training and the fleet of vehicles will be co-ordinated through ADT’s technologically-advanced control room with GPS Live Vehicle Tracking.”
The business model used by ADT with crime watches such as Stellenbosch and Helderberg, is strongly supported by Business Against Crime (Western Cape).
The Wellington Watch will only start operating when 600 residents have signed up.
“It is therefore important that neighbours encourage each other to sign up as soon as possible,” says van Rooyen. “Residents that have signed up will not pay anything before the service starts operating.”
The town has been divided into two primary areas, one east of the Spruit River and one west of the river. Residents that have signed up will not pay anything before the service starts operating.
“We have had an encouraging response and hope to attract further interested residents so we can really grow the service we offer to the community, says Deon van Rooyen.
Businesses will pay R148,20 per month for this service, with domestic participants (private homes) paying R65.
According to ADT, they will initially use the same four armed response vehicles for visible policing that are in operation in the Wellington/Paarl area and currently respond to its existing clients’ alarm activations and emergency calls.
As support grows from residents, the Wellington Watch aims to deploy two additional vehicles in the Wellington area.
The Stellenbosch Watch that has been in operation since October last year, has twelve armed response vehicles and six bicycle patrols operating to provide a co-ordinated, pro-active and visible deterrent against crime in the student town.
Participating households in Wellington will receive a participating signboard and a telephone sticker with the relevant contact number of the patrol vehicle to be used in cases of emergency or suspicious activities.
A bi-monthly newsletter with safety and security tips will also be printed and distributed by ADT for the Wellington Watch.
According to the June newsletter, ADT will work together with the police and other law enforcement agencies in Wellington to ensure a co-ordinated crime prevention plan for the town.
Application forms can be dropped off at the Wellington Spar. For more information, contact Wellington Watch director Attie Barnard on 082-835-2827 or email him at apbarnard@telkomsa.net.
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