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Woensdag, 7 Augustus 2013 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | e-pos: nuus@tygerburger.co.za | www.tygerburger.co.za
TYGERBERG: ‘COMMUNITY MUST PLAY ROLE’
Reserve safety is vital! JANA BEKKER
T
he threat of crime being launched from inside the Tygerberg Nature Reserve was addressed last week with an extensive, integrated operation in which 102 police officers took part. The focus of the operation was to make the reserve safer and to address any threats that exist within the reserve. Different departments including the K9 dog unit, mounted unit, trackers and the air wing were part of this eight-hour operation on Thursday 1 August. Patrollers took to the reserve on foot, quad bikes and vehicles. Capt Fienie Nimb, Bellville police spokesperson, said valuable information was gathered during the operation, including entrance and exit routes criminals use in the reserve. A part of the fence that was flattened was noticed by the group.
Safety Penny Glanville, area manager of the Tygerberg Nature Reserve, said they were very excited about the operation. “We are trying to make the reserve as safe as possible, because we want people to feel safe,” she said. Bellville police chief, Brig Sharon Govender, said the reserve is often used as a thoroughfare for criminal elements. She said with regards to the focused block
approach to policing, the nature reserve has always been a priority. “The purpose of the operation is to understand the challenges faced by the different authorities responsible for policing. More important is the community that resides around the nature reserve,” she said. Govender said residential burglaries, theft out of and of motor vehicles and all robbery cases contributed to crime figures in the Bellville precinct.
Ownership She said the police, neighbourhood watch volunteers, members of the nature reserve and security companies work closely to determine the operational approach. “However, there still remains the gap of community responsibility of having to take ownership of their neighbourhood and their personal property,” Govender said. She said the community's role in policing is key to the prevention of crime in the surrounds of the nature reserve. “When a crime is committed, the first reporting point should be the police, as this will determine the police’s reaction time. We will be able to save lives and apprehend the perpetrator if systems are followed in the shortest time possible,” she said. She invited the community to report poor or inefficient service to her office, and said it will be dealt with appropriately.
Sgt Elton Alfestus, Lt Col André Niehaus, W/O Divvie de Villiers, W/O Gawie Hawkins and Const Randall Conrad of the Bellville Police.
Penny Glanville, area manager of the Tygerberg and Bothasig Nature Reserves, and W.O. Whitey van Zyl (Bellville police), look at tracks in the Tygerberg Nature Reserve. The reserve is often used as an escape route by criminals in the area. PHOTO: JANA BEKKER
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