Re: ONW Monthly Meeting - June 2017, 17:45 - A Touch of Madness

[Obs NW Chairman]

Hello Good People,

Please find the minutes of last Thursday's meeting attached. Thanks to all those who attended and thanks to Hazel for preparing the minutes. 

Please note that from next month we will no longer be circulating meeting minutes and crime statistics to the ONW google group (If your email address does not appear in the "To:" field of this email then you are receiving it via the google group and not as an ONW member). If you would like to continue receiving this information then please join your one-and-only neighborhood watch using the following link:

http://membership.obswatch.org.za/bf.php?fid=3560

Please remember that membership is free and that you are under no obligation to perform any duties you do not feel comfortable with. To join, you need to be a resident or business owner/employee in Observatory. The application process should take you less than 90 seconds. 

Thanks and regards,

Steve

On Wed, Jun 7, 2017 at 11:05 AM, Obs NW Chairman <chai...@obswatch.org.za> wrote:

Hello Folks,

You are invited to our monthly meeting this Thursday at 5:45 pm at  "A Touch of Madness" - or join us from 7 pm for a drink and chat.

Please see our agenda and the May Crime Statistics and Law Enforcement report attached. Thanks once again to Jason and Wayne at Obsid for generating this very useful crime fighting data.  I believe this contributes to our ongoing downward crime trend together with the focused efforts of our security teams and SAPS. Patrollers, we have been slacking of late, lets get out there! Wednesday night is currently our crime spike. 

Please note that one of the points up for discussion this month is whether or not to continue distributing this potentially sensitive information to our Google Group (which is accessible by anyone). 

We are also in the process of updating our mailing list to correspond with our new online membership database. (Thanks Frank!) This means that if you are not a current ONW member (represented by an "X"  or "XX" preceding your email display name on this email) then you will no longer be receiving this information from next month on. However this is easily fixed by clicking on the following link and completing your membership application right now:

http://membership.obswatch.org.za/bf.php?fid=3560

Please remember that membership is free and that you are under no obligation to perform any duties you do not feel comfortable with. The application process should take you less than 90 seconds.

Batten down your hatches and stay safe out there,

Steve

 

[Anique van der Vlugt]

Hello,

Why have residents of Observatory not been informed of this armed robbery via this group?

https://pulseradio.net/articles/2017/06/burglars-brazenly-robbed-a-packed-club-at-gunpoint-in-cape-town-this-weekend

Lots of love to all the patrons and owner and staff Xx

Thanks, Anique

[Trevor Hughes]

Yes I am amazed that I only just heard despite all the channels of
communication and the seriousness of the brazen act.

Thanks that no one was injured.

Trev

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[Obs NW Chairman]

Hi Anique,

We were distressed as you to hear about this robbery.  It is very concerning that Obs businesses seem to be more targeted of late, not just by armed robbers but also by bag snatching syndicates. I'm also sad to report that is not the first armed robbery of a business in Obs and that there unfortunately have been a few others during the last few months. However, this is arguably the most brazen and was clearly carried out by an organised gang. Thankfully no-one was more seriously injured. 

Unfortunately, in this particular case we  only found out about it the following day and the police were already dealing with the matter. As you know there were a number of witnesses and the lower main road is also under CCTV surveillance,  the footage from which is available to SAPS. 

We generally don't post an incident like this unless it still poses a threat to the community and or we need further information about the incident. We are also cautious about publicizing incidents which may impact on the success of a business or that of the entire Obs businesses district for that matter - especially on this platform which is accessible to anyone on the internet. That being said, the incident was posted to our Central Whatsapp Group and disseminated to many of the street Whatsapp groups from there, at the discretion of the various street group admins.

We are working with Obsid, the OCA  and the Obs Business Forum to try and improve the safety and security in our business precinct. As with all projects of this nature, its success depends very much on the involvement and support from our businesses and the wider community.

I hope that goes some way to answering your query.

Best regards,

Steve

On Wed, Jun 28, 2017 at 7:45 PM, Anique van der Vlugt <anique.va...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Trevor Hughes]

Thanks Steve

I think the public are better off knowing about these incidents and
that if you have the information it should be disseminated as widely
as possible. I am surprised it took this long to be put out there.
This always leaves it to more emotional and less factual reporting of
the possibly causing more harm to business and distress.

Also as a business owner I want to know what is going on

Trev

[Steve Killick]

There was another armed robbery at Panchos around 11h30 last night by five armed black men. No injuries reported. No further info at this stage. SAPS are investigating. 

[Anique van der Vlugt]

I agree with Trev! And residential owner's also want to know what is going on.

Shocking re. Panchos!

Just a note; the last two times I walked past the OBSCID trailer on Trill Road just on the corner near Café Ganesh there was no one inside and no OBSCID security guy nearby. Is this normal and/or related?

On 30/06/2017 08:02, Steve Killick wrote:
> There was another armed robbery at Panchos around 11h30 last night by five armed black men. No injuries reported. No further info at this stage. SAPS are investigating.
>

> On 29 Jun 2017 16:35, "Trevor Hughes" <tghu...@gmail.com <mailto:tghu...@gmail.com>> wrote:
>
> Thanks Steve
>
> I think the public are better off knowing about these incidents and
> that if you have the information it should be disseminated as widely
> as possible. I am surprised it took this long to be put out there.
> This always leaves it to more emotional and less factual reporting of
> the possibly causing more harm to business and distress.
>
> Also as a business owner I want to know what is going on
>
> Trev
>
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[Barbara Langridge]

Hallo All,

There is a total disconnect between business/residents/landlords/shop
managers and patrons. This is a consequence of each category having
disparate agenda's. I fit into all categories and the areas I have
struggled with are:

1. Getting residents interest in the problems we face on Lower Main.
2. Join the fight against drugs.
3. Open communication with landlords so they understand the impact of
tenants who front for drug trade.
2 Businesses cry foul very quickly when security issues arise, but few
are actually part of the structures in OBS and they do nothing to support
the structures in a proactive way.
3. The CPF Woodstock Sector 1 was disbanded exacerbating the crime
situation along lower main.

I would definitely be interested to sign up to collaborating with a good
security response company for dedicated patrols in Observatory North - that
is between Milton to Main Road. This would cost about R21.000 per month so
we need to have the numbers on board to service this area.

Apart from that solution, business owners need to be encouraged to:

1. Keep interior lighting on at night.
3. Install panic buttons.
3. Install pavement lighting - City of Cape Town have failed to deliver
improved lighting, this issue has gone on for years, I saw old minutes from
2011 OCA meetings when the issue was raised, that’s 6 years ago.
4. Live the "broken windows theory". This means taking personal
responsibility and committing to constant pavement clean up, improving
aesthetics - this will change the perceptions.
5. How to stay safe and secure campaign - I distributed this document a
while ago. Business needs to take ownership of this type of initiatives and
go forward to continue in their own capacity to try and promote
these ideas, if that is, they agree with them.
6. Clean the street and treat for bad odours (garbage bins washed in
the alley do make the street smell).

We all need to be the change we want to see in the world, and make it
happen.

Barbara Langridge

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[Graham Porter]

Hi All,

I somehow missed this when Barbara posted it, but Mark asked me for a comment this morning, so here's my response to comment 3. (which I think should be  point 5.)

Barbara, I know you were part of a number of these meetings, so some of this will be old hat to you..

My response:

The Observatory Sector 1 CPF was disbanded after a period of years of little to zero co-operation from the management at Woodstock SAPS.

In that period, serious issues around service delivery, residents complaints, allegations of corruption, refusal to submit to civilian oversight, and a complete lack of accountability led us to a situation where it was obvious that there was no point in continuing to hold up this relationship from our side alone, and that the volunteers time could be better spent in other community organisations. Note also, that to our knowledge, no attempt has been made to reconstitute the CPF body with residents who perhaps hold a different view to ours. This situation is a SAPS responsibility, and is currently unconstitutional.

The statement that the disbandment of the CPF Sector 1 has led to an increase in crime is also false, and can be supported by a continued decline in overall crime, according to the statistics we compile on a daily basis, shared with the ONW membership, and the community, every month.

It could be argued that the SAPS team in Woodstock is withholding services from Obs residents; this too is false, our sector management team has been very active, and collaborative with the public safety team, as always. There have been service delivery issues from individual members, and they are human so there will always be, but all the channels exist to address this with SAPS.

I would welcome any additional comments from Steve.

Best Regards,
GP

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[Obs NW Chairman]

Thanks Graham, 

I have nothing further to add. 

I attended the Obs Biz forums' emergency meeting this morning. It was well attended and seems to me to be the start of real cooperation between businesses towards making Obs a safer place for all.

Thanks to all who attended - please encourage all businesses to get involved. 

We look forward to  making some progress  on this issue and will assist wherever we can.

Steve

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[Barbara Anne Langridge]

Hallo,

I don't know how a claim can be made that crime has deceased.

In the last few months Obs has had no less than 5 armed robberies. 

Drawing room

Coco Chachi

Ganesh

Ferdinandos

Ganesh

Ponchos

The CPF was disbanded and this was done without public participation or consensus.

 

No matter the failure of police, it remains crucial to continue open channels. 

There is no community police plan,and in a strange twist the recent spike of serious crime may just be the spurs that stimulate proactive response to actually take action instead of all waiting foe someone else to do it.

Regards

Sent from my iPhone

[Graham Porter]

Hi Barbara, comments below..

PS:

Please give me a call, I would like to get you into the next OBSID PS meeting, we would really like you to get exposed to the work we are doing!

On Mon, 03 Jul 2017 at 21:31 Barbara Anne Langridge <langri...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hallo,

I don't know how a claim can be made that crime has deceased.

Our monthly crime stats bear this out..

Month by month, for the year..

Do you get the report Barbara?

Summaries are available updated weekly on the google crime map, for all to see.

In the last few months Obs has had no less than 5 armed robberies. 

Obviously we are focusing on ALL crime, not just business crime.. two of the businesses below suffered from snatch and grab theft, this has reduced dramatically too. All our residential crime categories show reduced stats.

Drawing room

Coco Chachi

Ganesh

Ferdinandos

Ganesh

Ponchos

The CPF was disbanded and this was done without public participation or consensus.

This is also incorrect Barbara, the disbandment of the CPF was done very publically, in all of Obs civic organizations. We had five meetings to canvas the community alone before the decision was taken.

Not to mention the abortive attempts with SAPS, DoCS WC and WC Govt.

 

No matter the failure of police, it remains crucial to continue open channels. 

Our communications with SAPS are as good as they will get at present.. OBSID safety managers and security members attend every fortnightly joint meeting at the station, and sector manager team members attend most of our Public Safety committee meetings. There is good cooperation on joint operations in our area, and members support our plans and priorities whenever they can.

There is no community police plan,and in a strange twist the recent spike of serious crime may just be the spurs that stimulate proactive response to actually take action instead of all waiting foe someone else to do it.

We no longer rely on SAPS Woodstock ONLY, to do it for us, this is true.. We no longer wait for them to solve our problems, we proactively attempt to solve them for ourselves, we are certainly not waiting for anyone to solve our problems for us.. We have a safety plan for our suburb, it was presented in September last year, and we continue to follow it's strategy till today.

Please Barbara, I invite you to come and attend some of our meetings, and get the correct first hand information; some of the comments you have made here in public show that you are not well informed at all on what public safety actions are being carried out in our suburb.

We value your role in building and supporting local businesses, art and culture, and support you in every way we can, please don't undermine our public safety efforts because you are uninformed of their extent.

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[Gwen Dereymaeker]

Hi Barbara, Graham and all

I want to second what Graham just said. Having been closely involved in attempting to make the CPF work for months (including developing safety and policing plans), having consulted with civics in Obs extensively on the issue (minutes of which can easily be obtained for anyone with an interest in challenges around public safety in our neighbourhood), I can confirm that the decision to disband was not taken lightly nor rapidly. 

And all crime statistics collected by OBSID and ONW, which is the most reliable hard, scientific data available on crime in our neighbourhood, confirms that crime is down. Incidents on five business precincts over a few months, albeit possibly being more visible than other incidents, have not drastically impacted on the overall statistics.

As Graham suggested, best is to be more involved in the forums in which these issues are discussed and decisions are taken, for the benefit of our entire community.

Kind regards

Gwen 

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