ZBRRA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I intend signing up for the security fund but never get around to doing it. I’m in Zinkwazi on the weekend so please collar me then !

 

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I paid for beams inside and outside the house, I built a high outside
front wall, I put in palisade fencing around my double property. I am paying
for a response company, and now for yet additional neighbourhood security?
Is there no solution in finding a company that would look after the village
as an entirety ( the US type example, as I understand it) and also does
individual units so we don’t pay for the same thing twice ?

 

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I contribute to the Security Fund annually but maybe you need to look at a
rate for permanent and holiday homes, as the holiday home owners are paying
at home for security on top of the Zinkwazi fund. This could encourage
owners to contribute - from my personal experience back in Pmb it is an
ongoing battle
Maybe if you ask Alpha to be able to meet ladies coming back from a book
club or night out to meet the person at their gate, and try sell this to the
permanent residents as a benefit?
Some quick thoughts

 

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Thank you for your message.
I have 2 comments:
1. A system based on the goodwill of the people only is proned to failure.
2. People have to commit themselves: A mail should be sent to them to ask
them clearly to declare if they support or not the security fund. Then you
will see if you have enough membes or if you have to raise the subs.
3. A proper system of payment must be put in place. I am the first one to
forget to pay my subs because I do not receive an invoice or whatever name
the document can have. Warrior send me an invoice and I file it and pay it
in due course by internet banking. The security fund should do the same. We
need to have a paper for our books.

 

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Wendy, why is it that so few people in the village are contributing? This is clearly a nonsense as they are all benefitting and there should be a contribution from all the households. I truly am appalled at the low level of contribution you have said exists and suggest that something else needs to be thought of to get this up as clearly there is a withholding of funds but an appreciation of the service !
Shame and name is one method, include as a special rate and tax etc.

 

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I will be coming back on as subscribers with effect August. We are delighted at the new development and would in particular like to thank James and Richard for the hard work making the transition.

 

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Many thanks to the Zinkwazi Neighbourhood Watch, for all your hard work and achievements these past months in endevouring to make our village a safe place to live and holiday. I have a few coments to make to the other home owners, which perhaps you could pass on for me…thanks.

 

“Reading your report this morning, I was initially disappointed, at the poor response of the other home owners, and now writing this email, the disappointment has turned to anger! We all are in this together and why should all the other 80% benefit from the few that are contributing regularly to the fund. Everybody is feeling the pinch financially at present, and yet a few have managed to continue their contributions. COME ON GUYS, WHO CAN HONESTLY SAY THEY CANNOT AFFORD A R100 OR EVEN R50 A MONTH, WHICH COULD SAVE A LIFE ???? To all those owners who have holiday homes like us, do we really think it’s fair that a hand full of people should be taking all the responsibility for the safety of our investments…? I believe that we are very fortunate to be in a position to have a second home, and I do not believe that spending a R100 a month on our security, is going to kill anyone’s budget, so PLEASE, won’t you give it your consideration and contribute to our Zinkwazi Neighbourhood Watch, which is for every home owners benefit.”

 

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I do contribute to ZNW each month and would be extremely upset if the good work is not continued.

Having said that, I don’t believe that this is the way to resolve the problem.

It is too easy for people to ignore this and hope that others will step forward.

Your team needs to contact each of the 312 households and sign them up!

Make it easy for people to sign up - if they say yes you do the rest.

You might consider "naming and shaming" those that choose not to contribute after such a call.

Are you familiar with the legislation which allows one to arbitrarily levy households provided you have a certain percentage of the community in agreement?

They are City Improvement Districts - see http://www.joburgcentral.co.za/about.php - I think you might find this relevant.

 

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I am appalled at the lack of concern and apathy in the village over security, for the very small amount of R100 pm. Regrettably one has to have an incident to realize how important it is to deflect criminals elsewhere and I can only hope if we have such an incident is not tragic. Having been hijacked in the area and experienced what could have been a really nasty incident, I can only reiterate that for this peace of mind and security, its pathetic.

 

I worked out that we need, providing for increases in costs etc about R18 000 pm which means 180 contributors and we have 72 currently. Clearly if all contributed , 384 would mean only R47pm - is there no other way you can raise this more formally than the current voluntary method?

 

My limited experience in ‘ fund raising ‘ is that you really have to knock on each door literally with form in hand to get a yes or no - hard work but it tends to get a response rather than the apathetic approach that we suffer from in RSA of "well the others can do it".

 

I for one being a non resident but homeowner for 19 years would be prepared to increase my payment but have a problem with subsidizing 312 homeowners, a large proportion of whom I am sure are permanents! In the meanwhile am depositing 3 months pending resolution.

 

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I will contribute, please send details. I want you to know that I am already paying a LOT of money for security in Zinkwazi and this additional cost becomes quite an irritation!

 

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We will definitely continue our membership and will make payment as soon as we return at the end of August – Ciao

 

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Only a pleasure -why not for such a lovely place and thank you for everything that you do - it does not go un noticed - it must be very difficult to get people on board now during these difficult economic times especially those bods that do not live he

 

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Dear Fellow Residents of ZB,

 

I fear minimal response to emails & phone calls – perhaps the “absent landlords” need to be visited in person, every single one, when they are in ZB to get them to sign debit orders.

Local Community Board outside the shop can be used to thank people (photos of people & properties) who do contribute, with blanks for those who default.

 

So I do not foresee a short-term positive response of sufficient magnitude.

 

 

Removing or losing pro-active security is so stupid that I would like to know what each would need to pay – it might be feasible.

 

I await a constructive response to a constructive idea.

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The response to the March and August updated appeals were extremely disappointing.

 

The ZNW has 72 members who contribute either monthly or annually and we are very grateful to them for their much needed support, but it is not sufficient to maintain the current levels of Community security and safety which we enjoy.

 

There are approximately 384 dwellings (complexes are counted as 1) in Zinkwazi but only 72 (19%) contribute to the safety and security which we enjoy. We desperately need to get more of if not all of the 312 non - contributing people to join the ZNW and contribute to the costs of keeping Zinkwazi safe and crime free.

 

Alpha Security was employed nine months ago by the ZNW and during this period incidences of crime have been reduced to single figures, in fact to date (19^th) of August we have not had one incident of crime in our village this month. This has to be a record in any community in South Africa today.

 

Unlike the reaction units presently operating in Zinkwazi, who in their own way are making a definite contribution to the fight against crime, Alpha Security are a PROACTIVE security company operating foot patrols in the village, patrol and monitor the electric fence around the village. They have uncovered all kinds of suspect activities, and have made a huge impact in the fight against crime as the impressive statistics over the past nine months show.

The ZNW is an independent stand alone entity with its own constitution and has no affiliations with any other organizations in Zinkwazi. ZNW have contracted Alpha to provide Community Security, whereas individual’s

security companies only provide a service once the crime has been committed!

 

A security service does not come for nothing. Alpha has to be paid. We have sufficient funds to pay Alpha for August; we do not have enough money to pay them for September. To be able to retain Alpha we need another 95 households to contribute just R100 per month.

 

The consequences of our not being able to meet our obligations due to a lack of funding are;

·        The discontinuation of Alpha’s services, which implies, no more security presence and foot patrols in the village, and no more monitoring of the electric fence.

·        The deactivation of the electric fence which was erected with donations from the community.

·        The discontinuation of the camera surveillance at the entrance to the village.

·        The dissolution of the Zinkwazi Neighbourhood Watch Association.

Should we be unable to acquire the necessary funding, our community will regress into a crime hotspot and a paradise for criminals and the carefree days and peaceful nights which we are currently enjoying will come to an end, which will

lead to lesser safety to walk and exercise in the village, and will also have a negative effect on house letting and property values.

 

Should you wish to respond positively to this appeal and join the ZNW, please complete the attached information form , and return it to : info@zbrra.org or fax to: 032-485-3764

 

Should you wish to have more information relating to the ZNW Association, how it operates, details of the current funding shortfall, what your money is spent on or the crime statistics in the village, please contact any of the committee members on the numbers listed:-

 

 

 

                            

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since our last update in March this year, there have been some important changes within the organization, however the immediate concern is to increase membership and funding, please refer to item 4) on this regard.

 

 

Tyrone and Sandy Werner established the security fund in 2006 and have continued to administer the organisation to date. They feel it is time that more people in Zinkwazi get involved in crime prevention in our village and it is therefore necessary for this organisation to become a separate institution in the village, with its own constitution and managing committee. To this end, a committee is currently being formed of members who reside permanently in Zinkwazi, and have volunteered their services.

 

They are:

 

James Gilleran

Richard Armstrong

Herman Lindvelt

Michael Crossman

Wesley Herald

 

The aim is to have a committee up to 8 members. The village will be divided into zones, and each committee member will be the ZNW representative for a zone, to assist members and public on security matters within that zone. Further committee volunteers are most welcome. At this stage all ZNW administration will be handled by the Zinkwazi Ratepayers and Residents Association Administrative Manager, Mrs Wendy Balcomb.

 

 

A frequently asked question is “What duties does the ZNW perform in the village and how are members contributions spent, and the need for a neighbourhood watch:-

ZNW has since December 2007 contracted Alpha Security and Patrols to patrol the village up to a 24hr basis on bicycles and foot, to monitor the security fence on the South West boundary, and to gather any information of any criminal activity, which to date has proved that Alpha’s proactive approach to crime has had, great success with an overall reduction in household robberies of 54% for the first six months of 2008, compared to the

last six months of 2007. (Currently Alpha costs are ± R 14, 400 per month for 12hr night patrol only).

 

 The electric fence on the southern side of the village continues to be a major success in deterring crime and the camera at the main village entrance is now proving well worthwhile (± current costs are R 2,000 per month).

 

Members’ contributions are used to pay and maintain these three main services which contribute to our “COMMUNITY SAFETY”

 

Please be advised that there have been some alarming armed robberies recently and the gang responsible operates the length of the North Coast from Umdloti northwards to Zinkwazi. We are in close liaison with the relevant serious crime police groups on this and other matters i.e. on 22^nd July a suspect’s vehicle was apprehended at the village entrance by Alpha and the Kwadukuza Crime Prevention Unit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BANK:            FIRST NATIONAL

BRANCH:       BALLITO – 250102

ACC NAME:   ZINKWAZI SECURITY FUND

ACC NO:        621 0174 9234

REFERENCE: YOUR SURNAME & ZINKWAZI STREET ADDRESS

 

For enquiries please contact:

 

James Gilleran – jdjgilleran@mweb.co.za Cell: 072 600 2034

Wendy Balcomb – info@zbrra.org Cell: 083 265 9631 Fax: 032 485 3764

    

 

 

 

Alpha Security and Patrols started their 24 hour patrols on 1 December 2007. Predictable increases in criminal activity over the festive season kept Alpha very busy as they became familiar with their latest undertaking. A pro-active approach by Alpha soon displayed evidence of progress. By January crime activities reduced slightly and February shows only 4 significant incidents.

 

Recent events have highlighted the fact that our village has a very old and deeply entrenched crime network. The network consists mainly of live-in domestic staff who are paid, or are sometimes intimidated, to inform and assist the individuals who are actually involved in housebreakings.

 

Infiltration and intelligence gathering are the most effective combatants for this type of crime. Fortunately Alpha has displayed the capability to infiltrate some of these networks and obtain significant information which is then used to form the basis of the approach adopted to expose these undesirables.

 

Here is important information pertaining to crime in Zinkwazi:

 

IDENTIFYING SAFE HOUSES

These houses provide safe haven for thieves and stolen goods. Normally these houses do not get burgled, but stand out amongst a group of homes which are often burgled. They are normally holiday homes with live-in staff.

 

RECURRING BURGLARIES

These houses are burgled continuously. They are holiday homes with live-in staff and the owners never suspect the staff. The truth of the matter is that while the staff may not actually commit the crime, they provide assistance to criminals and then receive a share of the spoils.

 

With individual homeowner’s permission and assistance, the above-mentioned problems can be eradicated swiftly by :

 

Please assist your Neighbourhood Watch if you are contacted, and don’t hesitate to seek assistance (see contact numbers below).

 

A recent armed attack on a farmer and his wife outside Zinkwazi has focused attention on the J.Smit farm compound where many criminals reside. The Darnall Farmers Association, Alpha Security, Kwadukuza Municipality Crime Prevention unit and ZNW are currently working together to provide a sustainable solution for the security problems associated with this compound, hereby fighting crime at its source rather than continuously dealing with its symptoms.

 

On 1 February Alpha placed a response vehicle in the village and now offer armed response to alarm activations - a further extension of their services to Zinkwazi. They have also provided alarm hardware and installations at very reasonable prices. Please contact Francois Snyman (Area manager & Zinkwazi resident) on 082 945 7183 to receive more information.

 

Zinkwazi Neighbourhood Watch is funded entirely by homeowners and residents of Zinkwazi. Thank you to those who continue to support the fund. For those who have not yet supported the fund, please seriously consider the benefits of contributing to this fund. As a guideline, most members pay an amount of R1200 per year / R100 per month. However, any contributions, large or small, are appreciated. Please ensure that you use your name and street address as reference when making a deposit.

 

Please note that annual contributions are now due. Now is the time to become enthusiastic about the recent successes achieved by the crime-fighting efforts of the Zinkwazi Neighbourhood Watch. Assist our efforts by campaigning for support from your friends and neighbours to ensure that we are able to sustain a significant crime prevention programme.

 

Banking details:

 

For enquiries please contact:

Tyrone Werner – tysan@lantic.net Cell: 083 457 0990

James Gilleran – jdjgilleran@mweb.co.za Cell: 072 600 2034