STOP PRESS
The report that the suspects who allegedly attempted to dig up the cable on 12 September were arrested is incorrect. Sharp-eyed residents informed the ‘DNW Team’ that they had disappeared and in spite of a long search were never apprehended. This means that they may quite easily be back in Doringkloof one day soon.
However, the good example REMAINS – where residents, who had a suspicion that perhaps a crime may be occurring, went out and confronted the suspects.
Just calling a suspicious person in on the radio and expecting “somebody” to go out and to check him does not prevent crime.
Indeed, we have now heard that the “Else” family has moved so the three brothers; ‘Somebody’, ‘Anybody’ and ‘Nobody’ are no longer available to hurry out to a possible crime scene or to check out suspicious persons or vehicles. Recently we also heard that the family ‘Anders’ with their children; ‘Iemand’ and ‘Niemand’ have also left us. This means that us ordinary residents will have to go out now and check.
On a more serious note:
- Preventing crime requires all of us residents to play our part. This was the founding principle upon which the DNW was established and was accepted by all who joined as the only way we would make Doringkloof crime-free.
- If a caller, be it a resident or coordinator calls for support, it is us/we/you/me who respond. If we do not respond then we, in effect, allow crime to flourish in Doringkloof. Buying a radio or having one programmed to the DNW channels also implies that you agreed to play your part. It is sad to see that when people call early in the morning on the radio that they have wall jumpers in their garden that nobody responds. Where are the neighbours, those who live close by?
- All residents who are DNW members are to take note that there are changes regarding the so-called patrollers who patrolled our streets – they are now no longer. Without going into any details, (these will be communicated once we have the details), we are what the CPF calls “observers”. Everyone in Doringkloof is an observer. Whether you look out your window to report something or go out and observe from a street corner – you are the eyes and ears of the Doringkloof Neighbourhood Watch. By doing this we give the coordinator a picture of what is happening and then he or she can coordinate our response.
- We cannot expect one of the security companies, in our case CopWatch or MonitorNet, to respond to any crime related incident. They are not obliged to respond unless you are a client of theirs and then only with regard to your own property. Any response by a security company to a call by a coordinator is purely goodwill on their part.
FIRE
On Friday the lower part of the Spruit, between Karin Bridge and the N1 highway was engulfed in a veld fire. Many residents responded and the fire was brought under control. However, we would like to mention that the City of Tshwane Conservation Department will maintain a minimum of a 5-metre fire break from the residential properties towards the centre section. This is to prevent any grass fire from endangering any adjoining property. Unfortunately, some residents, counter to the many notices prohibiting dumping of garden refuse in the spruit, do this, simply by tossing their refuse over the wall. This refuse then catches fire and in many cases results in a roaring blaze, with burning bits of refuse flying everywhere and could ignite the leaves in a tree planted on the boundary wall or worse still ignite a thatched roof nearby.
PLEASE DO NOT THROW YOUR GARDEN REFUSE INTO THE SPRUIT – YOU COULD BE FINED FOR THAT!
Regards,
DNW Team
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