Ons nuusbrief hierdie maand lyk anders. Onder is ‘n brief wat ek ontvang het van een van ons gereelde werkers by die buurtwag. Ek het die brief sonder enige veranderinge aangeheg.
Our newsletter this month takes on a different look. Below is a letter drafted by one of the people who help us on a regular basis. I have copied the letter without any editing.
“We all know what Neighbourhood Watch is and we all have our opinion of what Neighbourhood Watch should be, so let me give you my thoughts of Neighbourhood Watch ( NHW).
I am supporting the NHW because my wife ask me to. When I wanted to give up some time ago my wife asked me not to do so, and she said “If you give up who will do it??? You are looking after me and at the same time also after a few others.“
Well I am not looking after anybody that is not my duty, all what my comrades and I do is showing face.
We are between 12 and 15 people who on a weekly basis take a drive aroundour designated areas and observe. This is far too little for such a town like Betty’s Bay. We need more volunteers.
All we can do is to observe, driving in our own time with our own cars, using our own petrol and observe and report (we use our Two way Radios to report suspicious events).
It is a boring job driving at night around (mostly alone).
Please believe me, we all have better things to do.
So, why should we carry on????
With the camera project, why should we carry on???????
Do we need cameras in this day and age in Betty’s Bay or do the other communities just do it because it is just so cool to have Cameras????
Does the Betty’s Bay community need NHW and for who????
We have the security companies to look after our safety !!!!
What should be done with people in the community who we know are on drugs and do break INS????
Who will help them, because they need help!!!!!!!
Who has the time and expertise to do such job voluntary????
Who will work with the Government powers to see that action will follow all the talks?
Not one point of the 12 points plan from the Kleinmond community has been finalized.
All what has been done is meetings with long memos and excuses.
Mooiuitsig is an issue which has to be addressed to the point where it is not them and us.
In Hermanus protests have been taking place and the housing issues are being addressed and money has suddenly been found.
Our Betty’s Bay neighbors living here over the holiday season surely must have ideas and resources in helping addressing these and other very important issues.
I, for my part I will carry on with NHW for as long as I can see that we make a difference.
I also carry on because of my other comrades on the NHW team.
Just to mention one, our Operation Manager Bill Steyn the leader of the NHW team is putting in so much work without any recognition or appreciation.
How he carries on is beyond me.He needs us, the community, to carry him and support him.The community should take responsibility and help to make a difference.
Neighborhood watch is not a person or a group but the whole of the community of Betty’s Bay. If we are not joining forces we are all going to suffer.
HOPE is what I have, hope that this group will grow and become something we all can all be proud andthat we can make a difference.
Please, we all need to put in our “pound of flesh” and work towards a community we all would like to live in .”
Groete/Regards.
