PAARDEN EILAND CITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT CHAIRMAN S REPORT FOR YEAR 01 JULY JUNE 2014

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1 It gives me pleasure to present the Chairman s 9 th Annual Report of the Paarden Eiland City Improvement District for the period ending 30 June EXECUTIVE BOARD The Executive Board remained constant during the year: Les Holtzhausen (Chair); Dino Gomes (Vice Chair); Eric Stephen; Morné van Staden; Johan Henning; Howard Spiro and Glen Brockhoven. Councillor Bernadette le Roux continued to attend Board meetings as an ex-officio member. Eight executive meetings were held (July, August, September & November 2013 and February, March, May & June 2014). We have had another busy and successful year and I m proud to record the following: ACHIEVEMENTS & ACTIVITIES - Measured against the goals set in the and approved at the 8 th AGM. ENVIRONMENTAL GOAL E1.1 E1.10 With the exception of an annual 15 working day break, the team continued to clear the roadsides of litter and sand five days a week, keeping gutters and pavements clean and maintain trees and gardens planted by PECID. With PECID s rehabilitation of the Public Open Space between the canal and Nautilus Street, the rented waste skip had to be moved and as no new, or practical spot could be found, alternative arrangements were made. General litter picked up was placed in Council litter bins, where it should have been discarded in the first place, and recyclables and other waste for landfill were taken to the Waste Depot in Beach Road, Woodstock. Overload, especially large amounts of sand collected in gutters was generally cleared once a month when an extra 20 men were employed to assist. A petrol-pump was donated to PECID by Cutters to assist with water-flow from the water tank, for which the team was delighted as it saved hours of watering time. Several perpetrators of illegal dumping were traced and information handed over to relevant authorities. We experienced particular problems with film companies whose generated waste was dumped in our CID area. At least two food traders were removed from Paarden Eiland after they were found to be operating illegally. For security purposes, all street vendors are asked, but not obliged, to register at the PECID Office and report when they are operating in the area. PROPOSED PROJECTS E1.PP2 DEBRIS TRAP Local Councillor Bernadette le Roux had agreed to fund this project from Ward allocation funds in support of our greening project on the edge of the canal. The design and implementation went out to tender, but at time of writing this report had yet to be installed. GREENING & ENHANCING E.2. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN E2.PP4 RECLAMATION OF POS ERVEN 17458/64/65 : DEVELOP GREEN PARK This ambitious project, with full co-operation and support from City Parks and funds approved by PECID members at the 2012 AGM, began in earnest in July An extent of sq metres of derelict land was prepared, irrigated and planted with grass and trees. City Parks took responsibility for connection to the water main and the installation of a water meter, which lightened PECID s burden considerably apropos water usage for our sprinkler system. A gated latte fence was erected at the entrance to the park and a paved pedestrian pathway laid. Three poly-wood benches with corresponding litter bins were concreted into the ground. City Parks contributed 15 trees and 3 palms which were added to those planted by PECID. The area is enjoyed by workers during their lunch breaks and even more so by the many sea birds frequenting the Salt River Canal. Because of the hundreds of gulls who were quick to find the soft grass, we had hoped to name the area Seagull Park. Unfortunately, the name had to be recognized on a GIS map, and as the area was partly bordered by Nautilus Street, City Parks suggested we call it Nautilus Park. 1

2 An appropriate signboard has yet to be erected. Unfortunately, some vandalism has taken place, but it is still well worth a visit to see the results of this project. The absolute support from City Parks in the upkeep and continued greening of our CID area is invaluable and our grateful appreciation is hereby recorded. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN E.2.4 : PAARDEN EILAND WETLANDS In joint operations with the Table Bay Nature Reserve, Zoarvlei Section, and Law Enforcement, we continued to assist with removal of illegal campers and cleaning up the resultant mess left by them. Unfortunately another year has passed without further intervention by those responsible for management of the wetlands and the regrowth of reeds is once again rampant. We must therefore expect another midsummer of choked waterways and seed and pollen dispersal which will impact adversely on business and staff once again, particularly those situated on the border of the Zoarvlei. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN E.3.1 : POLLUTION We continued to monitor Illegal discharge into the storm water system and forwarded problematic areas to the relevant inspectorate for investigation. At least one business is currently facing legal action for failing to comply with the respective bylaw. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN E.4 : MAINTENANCE : ROADS & STORMWATER Thanks to the Department of Roads our appeal to update road markings was completed. Following several on-site meetings with necessary role-players, new road signage was manufactured and installed and road names painted on kerbs. Our constant reporting of stolen and broken drain covers meant replacement and maintenance continued unabated. Flooding of roads during heavy rains was kept to a minimum thanks to regular maintenance by the City and clearing of drain catchments by PET (PECID Environmental Team). The excellent support and co-operation from the Dept of Roads and Stormwater must be acknowledged as an enormous plus for our area. SAFETY & SECURITY SAPS Maitland SAPS Sector 1 and PECID Patrol held a number of combined operations, including roadblocks for vehicle/licence validity checks and identification of displaced people in illegal campsites. Joint meetings with SAPS continued, where information on trends, hot-spots and criminal activity was shared. Much of the crime in our precinct was attributed to parolees. The justice system continues to let us down, allowing those arrested to walk free without proper atonement and it is very frustrating to make good arrests only to find the same people walking the streets within days. Average stats for year o Burglary (Business) 6,2 per month (74) o Theft of motor vehicle 5,5 per month (19) o Theft from & out of motor vehicle 3.75 per month (45) o Armed Robbery 0,5 per month (6) Both empty and occupied premises were targeted for anything copper pipes, air conditioners, geysers and cables. A new scrap dealer opened doors in Section Street, attracting even more informal scrap traders. In many cases, entrance to buildings was gained through the roofs with no security beams and most took place over weekends or public holidays. Theft out of and from vehicles: valuables left inside and on motor vehicles contributed 100% to this category of crime, with thieves often allegedly using central locking jamming devices to gain access to vehicles. 2

3 CRIME ON THE IRT ROUTE Several muggings and robberies took place on the MyCiti bus lane where cyclists were targeted. We attended all IRT safety and security meetings, where cooperative operations with MyCiti Law Enforcement were planned and implemented. Once regular PECID patrols began between Zoarvlei station and the N1 bridge, the muggings stopped. We maintained close contact with the route s camera surveillance management. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN S2.PP2 : LAW ENFORCEMENT THROUGH RENT-A-COP Our plan to directly participate in the City s Rent-a-Cop initiative was not necessary thanks to our local Ward Councillor, Bernadette le Roux, who funded two officers from Ward 55 budget to deal with safety and security issues and City Bylaw contraventions. Paarden Eiland, being part of Wards 55, benefits from this service and we have welcomed the enforcement. Sadly, on several occasions, the two officers have been met with unnecessary verbal abuse and threats from businessmen and visitors alike. Their contract may end June 2015, but because of the hugely positive impact they have been making, we trust this will be extended, failing which our S2.PP2 would need to be re-instated. In the meantime, property and business owners are asked to support this initiative. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN S1.PP1 : PECID PATROL & CCTV PECID PATROL Following the declining service as mentioned in the Chairman s Report last year, the contract with our previous service provider was not renewed. Enforce Security Services won the contract and gave our patrol vehicles and officers a complete new facelift. The branded PECID Patrol vehicles are easily identifiable and the officers uniforms are unique to PECID. Patrols began in October 2013 and within the first month our new officers had made 6 arrests for various crimes, including possession of pirated goods, theft, burglary, and apprehension of illegal immigrants. By mid -February another 10 arrests had been made, which was indicative of the Patrol Officers commitment to their tasks and at date of this report, 23 arrests were accredited to their vigilance. Confiscation of shopping trollies and retrieval of Council wheelie bins remained high on the list of tasks. A dog was set on two of our Patrol Officers as they were checking the contents of a trolley and both officers were taken to Somerset Hospital and treated for bites. CAMERA CONTROL A new camera was installed to accommodate surveillance of a hotspot at the back of Wessex and Kempenveldt Streets, where thieves accessed Paarden Eiland from Woodstock. In July 2013, we received notice from our service provider that camera monitoring was not financially viable for them and we were to vacate their premises by 01 October. New premises and service providers were sourced and of several quotations, only one was happy to monitor in Paarden Eiland. Comparative quotes for removal and installation of the surveillance system were: o R (Woodstock based) o R (Blackheath based) o R (Paarden Eiland based) A temporary control room was set up at Enforce Security until such time as suitable premises were found. All control room equipment was wrapped and stored and the wireless connections relayed to the temporary control room. While all this was taking place, we had no camera surveillance for several weeks and for obvious security reasons, the move and its complications were kept much under wraps. All security alerts and enquiries were handled 24/7 by the PECID Manager via camera control cellphone while a new team of camera operators were trained. They began monitoring blind, viz without cameras, coordinating all crime alerts telephonically between the patrol officers and SAPS, or other law enforcement agencies. 3

4 This proved to be an exceptional opportunity to experience international best practice, where information is passed ground-up and not vice versa. It built an excellent foundation for both camera operators and patrol officers; viz camera operators had to rely on information relayed by patrol officers and patrol officers had to learn the area without eye-in-the-sky assistance. No major crimes took place while the surveillance system was down. SECURITY PROPOSAL An alternative Security Proposal was presented to the PECID Board by property owner Rob Tiffin, whereby all property and business owners would contract their security through a single company, linked to PECID CCTV. Unfortunately, the City would not endorse the plan in its presented form as it was in conflict with the current CID Bylaw. NEW PROJECTS UTILISING ACCUMULATED SURPLUS & RETENTION FUNDS UPGRADE OF SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM, PECID OFFICE AND CAMERA CONTROL 2014/2015 TERM A motion to allocate at least R ,00 for the upgrade of the PECID Surveillance system was approved by the PECID Board. The Board resolved to use a minimum of R ,00 to upgrade the PECID Office. LICENCE PLATE RECOGNITION & PTZ CAMERAS 2014/2015 TERM A motion to install LPR cameras at the entrances to Paarden Eiland and four new PTZ cameras was approved by the Board.. CONTRIBUTION TO TABLE BAY NATURE RESERVE, ZOARVLEI SECTION 2014/2015 TERM The Board resolved to contribute R ,00 towards herbicide to help minimize regrowth of Typha Capensis in the Zoarvlei. EXTENSION OF GREENING PROGRAMME 2015/2016 TERM The Board approved a motion to allocate R ,00 toward the extension of Nautilus Park and further greening. SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY GOAL IMPLEMENTATION PLAN SR2.PP1 OTHER This is an ongoing project and we continued to employ unskilled job seekers on a casual basis. This meant that during the year, a minimum of 240 unemployed were given the opportunity to earn some money. The Board agreed to assist the Cat Action team (CAT NPO ) with a monthly donation for 12 months. This organization maintains feral cat communities in Paarden Eiland through a trap, neuter, release programme and has successfully reduced the number of cats by at least 50% over the past six years. MARKETING GOAL A sure sign of investor confidence is high property rentals and although this saw a fair number of tenants moving to more affordable areas, the upside is that Paarden Eiland is attracting more affluent business interests. Upmarket showrooms and high quality retailers are peppering the CID area and this bodes well for future sustainability of the locality. There is no doubt that Paarden Eiland s reputation as a clean, environmentally attractive and safe area, contributes immensely to potential investment and together with our close proximity to major land, air and sea routes we have everything a prospective investor desires. PECID Management is committed to continuing the enhancement of our area, keeping it appealing, secure and perfectly marketable. PECID continued to represent property owners on several forums and committees including: o SAPS Joint o Sector 1 Forum o Community Police Forum 4

5 o IRT Operations Safety & Security o CID Managers o CID Chairmen o CAT (Cat Action Team) o Ward 55 Sub-Council 15 o Zoarvlei Management Advisory Committee THANKS PECID s sincere thanks and appreciation go to: Councillor le Roux for her continued interest and support. All City line departments with special mention of City Parks and Roads and Storm Water, whose assistance and attentiveness is highly valued. Maitland SAPS members for their continued efforts to contain crime in our area. Fowkes Bros and Cutters for use of their boardrooms for meetings. All my fellow Board members for their commitment to the good operations of PECID. Patricia and her dedicated team. LES HOLTZHAUSEN 30 JUNE