A warm welcome to all that are reading this newsletter. We hope to, through this medium, bring the latest updates to our security in our Village of Bushman’s River Mouth, Riversbend and Natures Landing.
I would firstly like to start off by thanking all the people that are involved in making our area safe and being very proactive and taking ownership of our Village, for home and hearth protection. There are too many people to name them all, well done. When each one does their small bit, it all helps at the end of the day to make our community safe and secure.
There are a few points that need to be brought to attention:
There are many security WhatsApp groups that have been initiated by concerned people, which is fantastic for our community and have been working very well. As a Neighbourhood Watch member of the Night Watch team we needed to streamline these groups into more manageable ways by creating smaller groups to make it more manageable in terms of response. A year ago, Riversbend was a very bad hotspot and a Riversbend Emergency group was created for immediate reaction to that area.
There was also a Riversbend Talk security group created to share relevant security issues and intelligence information which is excellent as the community took ownership. These groups are also monitored by Hi-Tec and SAPS alike. The result of this banding together, some community members bought radios and high-end spotlights for our Night Watch Team and so our team grew and grew.
It was then decided to implement the same structure to Bushman’s Village.
BRM Talk Security WhatsApp group was created only for residents and homeowners. The reason for this is because some of the other groups had too many outsiders on their groups that do not live or own property in the area, and it became unmanageable. This group has been fantastic by working together and is well disciplined. The response from Hi-Tec and SAPS, is huge praise for these groups as they have helped tremendously in sharing relevant information.
As for the Night Watch Team: when we are on patrol or in a reactionary mobilisation effort we put all our live location sharing information on the group communication platforms, depending on the area. This enables the community to see when we are out and about and where we are located at any given time when we are on operation.
To lay out the guidelines of our Night Watch Team: we are purely in a defensive and reactionary team effort. Our team blocks off our neighbourhood in the event of a break-in and let Hi-Tec and SAPS to do their business. When we are on a patrol basis it’s a show of high visibility and we have been successful in chasing potential criminals out our area.
We have some ladies that have also now joined our group with much success, and we salute you as members. The Night Watch Team is a team effort and does not operate on an individualistic basis. Our chain is only as strong as our weakest link. A huge shout out to the endless late nights and great efforts from all the dedicated individuals. Our working relationship with SAPS and HI-TEC security has been fabulous and we all complement each other in our different roles. The relationship with the Boknes neighbourhood watch and the sharing of information has led to much information being passed successfully amongst each other. We have been working very well together in helping each other to make our communities safe. We have pledged our physical help with one another should the need arise in catching criminals operating in our areas.
Our Night Watch Team would like to thank all who have contributed to our operational fund. We really appreciate it. We still have a long way to go to get operational gear for example.
- Tactical jackets with identifying logos.
- Vehicle magnetic Identifying logo signs.
- LED Lenser head lamps for searching at night around properties to be hands free.
- Vehicle Led flashing lights (white and green only)
- Training courses for Neighbourhood watch as well as Anti-poaching and disaster management. This can play a huge role in firefighting, traffic, disaster and road accident management.
- The need for more communication radios.
A huge shout out again to those that have donated funds. Please see letter below from BRRAG Chairman.
Donations for Bushmans and Riversbend Neighbourhood watch operations
To all residents and homeowners in Bushman’s and RIversbend (not just BRRAG members) –
As most of you are aware the level of crime in Bushman’s and Riversbend has been increasing to undesirable levels. Fortunately, the Neighbourhood Watch groups are having the desirable effect of keeping the crime situation from becoming unmanageable. In recognition of this voluntary service, which benefits all residents and homeowners, several residents have already made generous donations of radios and flashlights to the Neighbourhood Watch and others have offered donations to assist with funding their fixed and operating costs.
BRRAG, as a registered NPO who is audited, have been asked to accept such voluntary donations and manage them for the purpose they are intended on behalf of the Neighbourhood Watch. (In terms of Clause 3.1.9 of the BRRAG Constitution BRRAG is empowered to collaborate with other organisations which further the objectives of BRRAG – one of these objectives is to promote the welfare of members of BRRAG.)
If you would like to donate towards the fixed costs and on-going operating expenses of the Neighbourhood Watch, please deposit it into the BRRAG bank account.
Electronic payment to:
Bank: Standard Bank
Branch Code: 051117, Kenton on Sea
Account No: 281116393
Payment reference: “N-WATCH / Name”
All donations will be ringfenced for paying operating expenses of the Neighbourhood Watch. Please ensure that you include N-WATCH in your payment reference so that your donation may be correctly allocated for the purpose it is intended.
Note: This fundraising initiative is solely for the neighbourhood watch group which is not associated with or controlled by BRRAG. This is not part of the Christmas security fund raising effort, which is an additional security guard operation arranged and managed by BRRAG over the December holiday season.
Lӧtter Wepener
Chairman, BRRAG
Crime Rate
Due to the socio-economic climate the crime rate has increased tremendously in the last two months and is increasing by the day. Unfortunately, we will never prevent crime completely and we can only curb it and make it difficult for criminals entering our area.
There are a few very concerning points that we wish to bring to your attention that is very important to note, and action must be taken. There are very many holiday houses that are not monitored by Hi-Tec security where criminals are hiding out. The criminals are very aware of this and are using this to their advantage. There are still too many people that are complacent on the points listed below.
- Doors of houses left open.
- Doors of their vehicles left open.
- Windows left open.
- Not setting their Alarms when asleep.
- Leaving gardening equipment in their garden as a potential weapon.
- Not closing gates to properties.
- Homeowners that have outside beams are not clearing the natural growth near their beams. The false alarm rate is extremely high in this whole area and needs to be addressed immediately as a high priority by all concerned.
- There is not enough security lighting around some homeowners’ properties.
- Residents and homeowners are employing people that are not screened properly. Copies of their ID books should always be kept. The SAPS have offered to do a vetting process of personal in your employ.
- Some residents are feeding people off the street and this needs to be discouraged. Meanwhile there are criminals knocking on doors and scouting the area. This needs to be reported on the security groups.
- Homeowners must please mark all their electronic devices and take photographs of all their essential items.
- Jewelry is a big must and to be kept in a safe place.
- Take a video of all your household goods and store in a safe place. This all helps with investigation in bringing criminals to justice.
A major talking point from the SAPS side is that people are not reporting incidents of crime in our area.
Our latest crime stats | 26 July – 8 August
| SAPS cases opened | HI TEC Incidents |
| BRM – 11 | BRM – 17 |
| RIVERSBEND – 7 | RIVERSBEND – 8 |
This has a negative and knock off effect on the stats and resources that are made available to curb crime for the SAPS at station level. If there is no crime, no resources, for example manpower and vehicles, will be given to them.
PLEASE REPORT ALL INCIDENCES OF CRIME AND OR MANDATE SOMEBODY TO DO SO ON YOUR BEHALF.
We are currently pushing for a central control room for the surveillance cameras for Bushman’s, Riversbend, Riversbend Industrial as well as Natures Landing. This to be monitored 24 hours a day by Hi-Tec and/ or Bushman’s / Riversbend residents to play a part in our neighbourhood watch. By doing this, we as a community can take ownership of our Village, old and young doing their little bit.
Kind regards
Ference Toth
(BRRAG: SECURITY SUBCOMMITTEE)
