The removal of car guards from the Edenvale CBD has sparked controversy.
While some believe car guards are only trying to make a living, others claim they are a nuisance.
Ward 18 councillor, Clr Heather Hart, reacted with shock at the news of the planned removal of the car guards.
“What happened to the car guard strategy set out a few years back?” she asked.
The strategy set out included that each car guard be equipped with an information sheet outlining the background to the formation of the Edenvale City Improvement District (ECID) and what role they would play in the organisation.
“The information sheet would have advised the car guards that they would need to register to work in the CBD. They would have to give their names, addresses, contact numbers and which area they guard,” said Clr Hart.
She added that car guards would have to ensure the area they guard is kept clean.
“Car guards can be used as an avenue for crime tips to be forwarded to the police,” said Clr Hart.
“Some of the car guards have lived in Edenvale for over 20 years, now they will be unemployed,” she said.
According to ECID manager, Mrs McKenzie, the decision to remove the car guards was not taken lightly.
“We refuse to comment on a plan or strategy which was set out years before the ECID was implemented,” said Mrs McKenzie.
She added that a decision was made to step in when complaints were received from schools, churches and businesses in the CBD.
“The car guards are creating havoc. There have been endless problems with a number of the guards. They harass patrons to businesses and church parishioners,” said Mr McKenzie.
She said that over a period of four Sundays, members of the EMPD observed the situation outside one of the churches.
“By 10am, when a close-by liquor outlet opened its doors, many of the car guards would go buy alcohol and by the end of the next church service they would be completely drunk,” said Mrs McKenzie.
“We even received reports where car guards would walk into churches while services were being held to look for money. They would harass elderly parishioners and demand they be given R10, saying that R5 was not enough anymore,” she said.
She said that schools had complained that car guards would sleep on the pavements outside school property.
“While doing our investigation, we found that car guards need to be registered with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA). All non-registered security guards are working illegally in the security industry,” said Mrs McKenzie.
“We are trying to clean up the CBD and cannot condone illegal trade,” she said.
