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BETTY’S BAY SAFETY STRATEGY / BETTYSBAAI VEILIGHEIDS STRATEGIE

Click the Read More (below) or the title (just above) to read this important article — and, please join Disqus to comment: we need to hear from locals.

 For the English version click here.

Die Bettysbaai Belastingbetalers-vereniging (BBBV) ondersoek tans die lewensvatbaarheid van ‘n Veiligheid Strategie en ‘n moontlike proses om die strategie vir die area te ontwikkel, met die samewerking en ondersteuning van rolspelers van die plaaslike gemeenskap en inwoners. Hierdie Veiligheid Strategie het ten doel om leiding en ondersteuning te bied vir die volhoubare adressering van veiligheid.

Die BBBV glo dat ons as wetsgehoorsame burgers en eienaars van eiendom, moet soek na ‘n nuwe, innoverende benadering tot ons huidige veiligheid-situasie. Bettysbaai is ‘n leefstyl kusdorp en tans word ons almal beroof van die sorgelose leefstyl wat so eie aan ons dorp was. Sekerheid en veiligheid was die minste van ons bekommernisse en ons algemene welsyn was in pas met die rustigheid van ons bestaan. Ons moet dit waarvan ons beroof is terugneem! Om weer ‘n gehalte leefstyl te verseker, die waarde van ons eindom te beskerm en veiligheid en sekerheid te herstel, moet ons betyds optree teen die uitdagings en aanslag van misdaad wat Bettysbaai tans teister.

Ons word nou verplig om ‘n opsie te kies om ons te beveilig teen die huidige misdaad situasie wat nie uitsluitlik fokus op reaksie op misdaad nie, maar ook gerig is op die voorkoming daarvan – ‘n pro-aktiewe benadering. Ons soek dus nie na ‘n meer ‘effektiewe’ sekerheids-maatskappy nie, maar vir oplossings wat spruit uit ons denke ‘buite die vierkant’.

Dit is om hierdie rede wat die BBBV die initiatief geneem het om Millennium Management te nader. Hulle is ‘n onafhanklike organisasie wat spesialiseer in misdaad risikobestuur en veiligheidskonsultasie.

Hulle hanteer risiko deur die ontwikkeling en implimentering van veiligheids-oplossings vir stedelike, industriële en landelike instansies landswyd. Hulle is onder andere ook betrokke by veiligheid en risiko bestuur van perlimoenplase en werk saam met omgewings-instansies om die Mariene bronne langs die kus te beskerm. Sedert hul totstandkoming in 1998 het hulle ontwikkel tot mark leiers in hul veld.

(Sien hul Webwerf –Millennium Management South Africa vir verdere inligting rakende hul besigheid ) Die organisasie bemark nie hulleself nie, maar raak betrokke by gemeenskappe op uitnodiging. Die BBBV was beïndruk deur hulle professionaliteit en suksessse behaal.

Die rasionaal vir die ontwikkeling en implementering van so ‘n Veiligheid Strategie is om misdaad-verwante aangeleenthede in die gebied op ‘n gekoördineerde en gefokusde wyse aan te spreek. Die onderliggende redes wat aanleiding tot misdaad gee, kan ook so aangespreek word. Die Veiligheid Strategie het ten doel om bewustheid en begrip by die gemeenskap te bevorder hoe om misdaad te voorkom en bestuur en veiligheid te verbeter. Dit is tyd vir ons om saam te staan in stede van om afsonderlik in silos te werk in ‘n poging om die golf van misdaad terug te dryf. As ons nie nou optree nie, mag misdaad eskaleer en in die toekoms onbeheerbaar word. Veiligheid kan bereik word deur ‘n verandering in denke met ‘n fokus op dié plaaslike konteks, behoeftes en sisteme.

Die verwagte uitkoms vir dié Veiligheid Strategie is:

Gemeenskapsontwikkeling en deelname: Bou van ‘n veiliger gemeenskap wat paraat is omdat hulle aktief betrokke is, georganiseerd is, inligting, hulpbronne en poging deel. Hulle is veiliger en minder geneig om kriminele dade soos dwelmmisbruik en bendes toe te laat om sistemies binne die gemeenskap te word.

Leefstyl: Verminderde gevoel van onveiligheid tuis en op straat. Verhoogde gebruik van ons openbare fasiliteite soos wandelpaaie en strande.

Munisipaliteit: Verhoogde waarde van residensiële eiendom en besighede en‘n gunstige gemeenskaps-beeld wat nuwe inwoners kan aantrek.

Reputasie: Met die suksesvolle implementering van ‘n Veiligheid Strategie, sal die area ‘n reputasie van veiligheid kry, wat aantreklik is vir belegging en toerisme - die plek om te wees.

Die Veiligheid Strategie benodig die positiewe betrokkenheid en deelname van alle gemeenskapslede wat belangstel om in’n veilige, florerende gebied te woon en te werk.

As ons hierdie holistiese benadering tot ‘n Veiligheid Strategie vir Bettysbaai steun, is die volgende stap om Millennium Management te versoek om ‘n waardering van die huidige situasie in Bettysbaai te maak en ‘n verslag op te stel tesame met die nodige kostering. Na verwagting sal so ‘n diens nie goedkoop wees nie – maar dan – wat is die prys wat jy op jou lewe plaas? Soos sake nou staan, mag iemand seerkry as ons nie gou optree nie.

Fondse word benodig vir die waardering en plan wat ontwikkel moet word. Daar word voorsien dat ‘n aanvanklike begroting van plus minus R 15,000 benodig sal word. ‘n Besorgde inwoner en huiseienaar het reeds die bedrag van R 5,000 vir die saak beloof.

Ek wil huiseienaars, inwoners en besigheidseienaars uitnooi om op hierdie skrywe te reageer. As jy bereid is om die inisiatief te steun, laat hoor van jou.

 


 

English version:

The Betty’s Bay Ratepayers Association (BBRA) is currently looking at the viability of a Safety Strategy and a possible process to follow in developing such a Strategy for the Area with the support and co-operation of local community role players and residents. This Safety Strategy aims to offer guidance and support for addressing safety in a sustainable manner.

The BBRA firmly believes that we, as law abiding citizens and property owners of Betty’s Bay, need to search for a new innovative approach to our current safety situation. Betty’s Bay is a lifestyle village and at present we are all deprived of the lifestyle that we used to have and that was so unique to our way of life, wellbeing and safety . In order to maintain a quality lifestyle, property value, safety and security, timely action must be taken against the challenges and onslaught of crime that the Betty’s Bay area faces.

We are now forced to go for an option to secure and safeguard ourselves against the current crime situation that not only focuses on reaction to crime, but is also pro-active in the prevention of crime. We are thus not looking for a more ‘‘effective’’ security company, but for solutions that is the result of thinking ‘‘outside the box’’.

It is for this reason that the BBRA has taken the initiative to engage with Millennium Management, an independent crime risk management and safety consulting firm.

They manage risk by developing and implementing comprehensive safety solutions to urban, commercial and agricultural agencies nationwide. Amongst their work in other areas, they render security and risk management services to abalone farms and work in collaboration with environmental agencies in protecting the Marine Resources along the Western Cape Coast. Since its inception in 1998, they have become a market leader in their field.

(See their Web Page – Millennium Management South Africa, for more detail on their business)

They do not market themselves, but engages with communities only by invitation.

The BBRA committee was impressed with the professionalism of the organisation and their success rate.

The rationale for developing and implementing a Safety Strategy is to enable a response to crime-related issues in the area in a co-ordinated and focussed manner, specifically looking at issues causing crime. The Safety Strategy aims to increase community awareness and understanding of how to prevent and manage crime, and maintain and improve safety. It is time for us to unite instead of working in pockets to try to hold back the flood of crime. If we do not act now, crime will escalate and become unmanageable in future.

Safety can only be achieved through a change of mindset focussing on the local context, local needs and local systems.

The expected outcome for the Safety Strategy is:

Community Development and Participation: Building a safer community, who are resilient because they are actively involved, organised, share information, resources and effort, are safer and less likely to allow criminal acts, such as drug abuse and gangs to become systemic within the community.

Lifestyle: Reducing insecurity at home and on the street, increasing the use of public facilities, beaches and walking trails.

Municipality: Increasing the property value of houses, businesses and industrial enterprises; providing a favourable community image to attract new residents.

Reputation: With the successful implementation of a Safety Strategy, the area will gain a reputation of safety, which is attractive to investment and tourism - the place to be.

The Safety Strategy will require the positive involvement and participation of all members of the community who are interested in living and working in a safe and flourishing environment.

If we accept the need for this new holistic approach in forming a Safety Strategy for Betty’s Bay, the next step is to request Millennium Management to conduct a appreciation of the current situation in Betty’s Bay, compile a report and come forward with a proposal and quotation in terms of cost to sustain and maintain.

We expect that this type of service will not come cheap – but then, what is the price that you place on your life? – For by the look of things, if we do not take action soon, someone might get hurt.

Funds are needed for the appreciation and plan to be developed. It is foreseen that a budget of R15,000 will be needed. A concerned resident and home owner has already pledged the amount of R5,000.

I would like to invite property owners, residents and business owners to respond to this article. If you are in support of this initiative, we would like to hear from you.

 

Rudi Perold
Chairperson, BBRA. 2015-09-21
Voorsitter, BBBV 2015-09-21