CONSTANTIA KLOOF NORTH

RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION

"No Man is an Island"
John Donne

Please visit the Honeydew Community Policing Forum Website
http://www.honeydewcpf.org.za

News updates from the chairman will be published here

Please email John with any important news

31st August 2010

Hi all

Lots of news but as busy all in short for now.

Hijackings UP, especially early evening – take care, are you being followed? Crime brief to follow.

Tomorrow night (Wed)– mass patrol – only an hour requested, we start at 18h00 till 23h00. Please be out there, all extra visibility helps.

Hillfox this weekend have helicopter flips on the 4th – be warned!

Month end – please check on your subs.

I have been advised of possible hijacking hot spot on Jim Fouche , nearest cnr Road No 1, tyres in road. Do not stop!

CKN meeting next week ,date to follow, open to all and please attend.

Audit of area starting 1 Sept.

Latest newsletter herewith.

Think all for now

Stay safe

John

CKN Newsletter – August 2010

Dear CKN resident

The writing of this newsletter was interrupted on the night of 16 August by a phone call from Aqua Security to advise me of an armed robbery (home invasion) in a home in Bamboes Street. I immediately drove to the house. It transpired that the family had arrived home and on parking their car, were surrounded by a number of armed men. They were forced inside the house and held at gun point whilst the house was ransacked. The suspects fled with electronic goods and cell phones. Fortunately no one was hurt but the trauma of the night will remain a long time.

This type of incident is difficult to prevent and being aware remains your biggest weapon. Do you take the same route home every night? Do you go around the block when coming home, especially at night? Do you look out for suspicious cars behind you? If you are a CKN member, do you request an armed escort when arriving home?

Fortunately we are in a position to tackle these problems head on. By midday of the next day, a patrol roster had been drawn up for extra patrols in the area with many residents volunteering their time to make the area safe. Aqua was also aware of the incident. Can other areas boast of such a quick response to crime in their area? However we need to grow the number of patrols as there are too few supplementing the 24 hour patrol car. Can we call on you to help make CKN a safer place? Please contact Liezel or Rowan to get onto the patrol roster or for more details. The more cars riding around, the better. Many folk remark on feeling so much safer seeing a patrol car or green light. And you?

I am sure many of you saw the recent Special Assignment episode on TV around neighborhood watches. You will now be acutely aware of the need for us to secure our area as the SAPF will not be able to do it!

Do not be naive and think that big gates, high walls, electric fences and alarms will keep you safe. You can not hide all the time.

Again, as I regularly ask, are you on my email distribution list for the area? You need to know about incidents in the area as they happen. The mail might just save your life!
Contact me at chairman@ckn.org.za.

Furthermore do you know your neighbour? When incidents like the above occur, cell phones are taken and phone lines are disabled. Who are you going to call on for help?

We will not allow our area to become a haven for criminals, we will make it difficult for crimes to be perpetrated in CKN and we will make CKN a safe and pleasant place for all who live here.

CKN Entrance

After many attempts to start a garden at the entrance to our area, work has begun, be it slow. The area needs to be cleared and some brave souls have started the clearing but we will need more volunteers. Please watch out for dates and times. We also need funds to complete the garden along with either donations of plants or sponsorship of a plant/s. Please contact Sarah for more details. A proposed plan of the garden is shown below.

garden plan

Finally and sadly I need to advise that our monthly income has suffered of late. We are not covering the cost of the 24 hour patrol car so I need to urge you to please check if your subs are up to date and if you are not a member, please join us. Aqua has increased their fees but we will keep our subs at R100 per month as I am sure we will get in what we need. If you have a white CKN membership board, are you a paying member?. CKN is run on faith and we trust you to support us.

Stay safe
John Baisley
Chairman

Chairman:
Email:
Website:
Tel (Home):
Honeydew Police Station:
Trauma Trauma Unit:
CPF Office:

John Baisley
john.baisley@standardbank.co.za
www.honeydewcpf.org.za
011 679 5063 after 6pm
011 201 8613/4/5
082 448 9337
011 801 8406

Banking details:

Bank:
Account no:
Name:
Ref:

ABSA Bank
730 172 885
CKN RAC
Your street name and number

27th August 2010

Hi all

Quick update
Burglary yesterday in Acanthus – please esnure your alarm is working. Once again I am convinced problem comes from within the area – due to items taken and small access hole to house!

Our graffitti “artist” is back – we recently painted the park structures and yesterday afternoon someone decided to redo their art! Parents – please tell your child what a criminal record will do to their life – we will now open a criminal case when we catch these hooligans!

Clean up at the entrance postponed for tomorrow as we hope to get a grader in to level the area.

Patrols this weekend – any extra visibility welcome. Mass patrol for Wednesday next week – only one hour asked.

Think all for now.
Stay safe

John

20th August 2010

Hi all

Thank you to all those patrollers who hit the streets last night. We will not let anyone come into our area and commit crime. BUT come on folk, where are some new folk to patrol?

Saturday 28 Aug at 13h00 – hopefully clean up at entrance, please join us so we can complete our garden, the more folk the less work it will be.

All quite in CKN after Mondays incident, stay aware and report anything suspicious.

Finally, on a sad note, a resident from Bamboes passed away on Wed after being ill. Sadly he passed away whilst waiting for an ambulance. Please esnure you know who to get hold of in an emergency!

Stay safe

John

17th August 2010

Hi all

Last night at approximately 20h45 we had a family in Bamboes Street followed home and held at gun point whilst the house was ransacked by at least 5 ARMED men.
The children of 8 and 11 were also involved.
Fortunately no one was hurt but the trauma will remain for a long time to come!
All electronic goods taken. Cars were also disabled by the suspects.

Please take care when you are coming home at ALL HOURS. CKN members use Aqua as an escourt.

Patrol members mass patrol Thursday night. Please can as many patrol as possible – one hour each
AND can we now get some new patrol members. To few are patrolling to keep the area safe.
Remember the above family could have been you!
Big gates, high walls, electric fences and alarms will not help you in this case and we can not hide and think crime will not affect me.
Also do you know your neighbour? When these incidents happen and phones are taken and lines cut, who are you going to call on?

More to follow as well as date for next CKN meeting.

Are you prepared to get involved?

John

11th August 2010

Hi all

Quick catch up.

All quiet in the area but please do not become complacent, stay aware at all times.

Thank you to those who patrolled over the long weekend and also to all those who have brought me blankets.

And also a BIG thank you to those few folk that came along on Saturday to help start clearining the garden at our entrance. We need to go back as we are only about a third of the way. A new date and time will be set and I trust more help will be forthcoming.

Please check on your subs as last month for the first time in ages, we got in less than what we paid out? If you have a white CKN membership board, are you a paying member?

Think all for now

Stay safe

John

6th August 2010

Please remember help needed tomorrow from 13h00 to 15h00 to help start clearing the area at our entrance for our garden.
Please come along, the more folk the less the work!
Bring rakes, spades etc
Meet cnr Albert and Hendrik Potgieter.

John

Long weekend – keep eyes open and report suspicious. Have you tested your alarm?

Extra patrol hours required where possible.

Hi all
Another report yesterday of an attempted burglary , this time Kroton Street.
Look out for a light blue Nissan.
This after two attempted over the weekend – Okkerneut Street and Kapok.
Take care and report all suspicious cars and persons.
John

Reminder – Sat 7 Aug at 13h00 – please join us as we start to make CKN a great place for all. Meet cnr Albert and Hendrik Potgieter.

3rd August 2010

Hi all

My mistake, the start on the garden will be Saturday 7 Aug at 13h00, please come along, all we ask is two hours of your time and some hard work!

Secondly, as long weekend and after the problems of the weekend past, can we look at some additional patrols this weekend, day and night? (Liezel can you start with a roster?)

John

2nd August 2010

Hi all

New month, please check on your subs, thanks.

Two attempted burglaries over the weekend within doors of each other. Appears no entry gained and everything points to children being involved. Set alarms when you are away, including the weekend. Think it is time we set a date for an anti-crime weekend?

Please join us on Sat 8 Aug for two hours at 13h00, cnr Albert and Hendrik Potgieter as we start to prepare the garden at the entrance.

Required – rakes, spades, picks and YOU.

Herewith the latest newsletter as well.

Stay safe

John

CKN Newsletter – June 2010

Dear CKN resident

Since the last newsletter, a lot has taken place and so herewith an extended newsletter.

However, to start and as promised in the last newsletter, a bit about why we have Aqua Security in the area. Some 6 years ago, CKN was relatively crime free and we as residents patrolled in the evenings and over the weekends. Then in one week we experienced 5 burglaries during the day. A number of security companies were approached to provide a dedicated car for CKN. Aqua was also approached as they had a car on the west side of CKN which had been running for some time with good success.

Within two hours of my call to Aqua, a car started patrolling. CKN paid for the first month of patrols whilst we went on a drive to grow our numbers and also advise of an increase in subs. The day car soon put a halt to problems but very soon incidents started during the night. Residents then agreed we needed a 24 hour car and about three months later CKN had its dedicated 24 hour car.

Over the festive period and also when necessary, there will be two cars riding around.

The best means of crime combating is visibility and hence the PRO-ACTIVE patrols.
The Aqua car covers a few hundred kilometers a day and has been replaced several times, not only due to wear and tear but also due to the number of times the car has been shot at.

At least 8 incidents come to mind where the Aqua personnel were shot at. Yes, CKN has had its fair share of shoot-outs. Fortunately, these have been some time ago and no resident or Aqua staff member was injured.

Residents who are CKN members and pay to the monthly running of the car – yes CKN pays for the car to ride around 24 hours – receive a greatly reduced monthly fee from Aqua for armed response if you are a CKN paying member. It’s such a pity that there are residents that have been given the reduced armed response fee but fail to contribute to CKN.

All residents in the area receive the benefit of the car and many enjoy a reduced fee that saves them large amounts of money by not having to use a larger security company.

The CKN committee has given you the benefit of a pro-active patrol car with dedicated drivers who know the area and response times of less than 90 seconds on panic alarms and alarms. Hence the shoot-outs, as Aqua catch the suspects on the premises. The car does not leave CKN. It is our car. Look at the back window of the car next time you see it!

The compliments the drivers receive for services rendered are numerous. Not only do they look after our security but also track down lost pets. It is also good to know that we can give the drivers problems being experienced and they will keep an eye out. They receive regular requests to watch homes when things have gone wrong and residents are afraid that suspects may return. Can we do this with other security companies or the police?

Aqua remain our preferred service provider 6 years later and we can not afford to have this car stop functioning.

Also, as mentioned last month there have been numerous stories over the years from Aqua and from our own resident patrols. To name a few –

hijacked car recovered in the area after a resident was hijacked and driven around.

Assistance of SAPS to evacuate the old caravan park after a threat to blow it up – and it came close!

Rescue of a dog stuck in a gate in the early hours of the morning

Hijacked car recovered in the area with the owner still in the boot.

Suspicious car and occupants seen. SAPS called and on searching car, various weapons were found. Occupants arrested and removed.

4 Suspects caught on the premises in Kroton Street carrying goods from the house, two were caught with one being shot and wounded.

Our proudest moment, putting together a search party of some 50 residents in 20 minutes to search for a lost child. The child was found.

Many patrol members will testify to the number of cars that leave the area once seeing the green light!

We need more patrol members. Please get involved so we can not only increase our visibility but also share the load.

CKN can only be there to help you if you keep us informed of problems and incidents that you may experience. We are fortunate to be able to react within hours to potential problems and actual incidents. We need you to advise us timeously of problems.

At the time of writing, our precinct was experiencing an increase in hijackings. Take care at all times and be aware of those on foot and in cars following you. These incidents happen at all hours of the day and women alone and women with children are soft targets. One of our residents was hijacked and stabbed in an incident at the end of June lower down Albert Street.

A number of suspicious cars have also been reported to me lately.

The funds and sponsorships to start our garden at the entrance to CKN at Albert Street are coming along slowly. Many thanks to the residents that have started contributing and work will start soon. Please see where you can assist with a contribution or even donation of plants.

Alternately, you can contact Sarah at actongardens@webmail.co.za.
We will strive to make CKN a desired place to live.

On a house-keeping note. The two biggest complaints I get from residents in the area is the speeding and barking dogs.
Please do not speed in the area and consider those that live here. Regrettably lot of the speedsters live in the area and I am told that as they know the roads they can increase their speed!

If you have dogs, please ensure they do not roam the streets and also do not bark incessantly, especially at night.

It appears that recycling is close to many people’s hearts and a concern. We will look at recycling initiatives but I need someone to volunteer for the task. Any takers?

As the soccer world cup is now complete, CKN monthly meetings will resume. These are open meetings to all who live in the area. Watch your email for times and dates.

Note from a resident after their puppy recently went missing
" Found!!! This morning. Thank you, thank you. We are delighted. Also, thank you so much to the people at 21 Stamperboom for returning our beloved puppy. It is at times like this that one gets that long lost feeling of being part of a community.”

If you have not responded to the below, please do so.
To assist us in getting to know whose who in the area and our records up to date, please complete the below and either fax (011 679 5063), email (chairman@ckn.org.za) or drop off (No 1 Papaja Street) with the chairman.
I am also cleaning up the email data base so if you want to receive emails from, please let me know. Please do this even if you do get mail from me. Your details are kept confidential and the cell number is for emergencies only.

Name and surname_____________________________
Street address   ___ ___________________________________
Email address       _____________________________________
Cell number          ____________________________
Are you a CKN member?______________________________________________
If not would you like us to contact you with more details? _____________________
Comments, suggestions, concerns_________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

Many thanks for your time,
John Baisley
Chairman

Landscaping for the entrances to CKN is underway.

Please click here to see what is needed for it, and donations that have already been recieved.

Chairman: John Baisley
Email: john.baisley@standardbank.co.za
Tel (Home): 011 679-5063 after 6pm

Honeydew Police Station: 011 201 8613/4/5

Trauma Unit: 082 448 9337

CPF Office: 011 801 8406

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THE City council has introduced a new draft by-law on swimming pools, on which it wants residents to comment.

According to Keith Peacock, the stakeholder relationship management director in the Speaker's Office, the proposed by-law comes after a number of deaths in private residential swimming pools in Joburg. "The City is asking for critical and constructive comment on a new draft by-law to regulate swimming pools."

It requires that anyone who wants to have a pool installed must fill in an application form from the City. There will be a number of rules to which the person must adhere: the pool should be maintained; it must be fenced and children should not be able to climb over the fence; and all outdoor swimming pools must have a pool cover or must be fitted with a floating pool alarm when the pool is not in use.

Louis van Aswegen, the project manager of safe guarding swimming pools in Johannesburg's emergency management services (EMS), says that three months after the by-law is passed, people with swimming pools at their homes will have two years' grace in which to notify the council about the existence of their pools.
"People who do not comply with the by-law will be fined not more than R50 or six months' imprisonment."

Copies of the draft by-law can be obtained from a number of offices:
Region C, Roodepoort: Ground Floor, Roodepoort Civic Centre,
100 Christiaan de Wet Road, Florida Park.
Tel 011 761 0145 / 0146 / 0140 / 0440;

On the Johannesburg website.

Comments on the draft by-law should be submitted - before Tuesday, 31 March - by hand to Kebitsamang Mthunzi, third floor, B Block South Link, 158 Loveday Street, Braamfontein or by email kebitsamangm@joburg.org.za or call 011 407 6662 or fax 011 403 1615.

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