THERE was a good turnout by residents to Tuesday’s Bulwer Safety and Urban Regeneration Forum (BSURF) community meeting.
Residents heard from Natasha Nicholas who spoke about an eco bricks project she is involved with, in collaboration with Livingstone Primary School, DPHS and Maris Stella.
Eco Bricks are made by filling two litre cold drink bottles with household plastics.
“We encourage households to do this. You need to insert all plastics including packets, straws, cut up polystyrene packaging and so on into the bottles, compressing from the bottom with a dowel rod, and pushing down each layer to make it solid. These are being used as bricks to build a school in Umbumbulu. This way you are giving back to the needy while saving the oceans,” she said.
The completed Eco Bricks can be dropped off at Amsterdam in Helen Joseph Road.
Ward councillor Mmabatho Tembe spoke about issues she was currently dealing with.
These included by-law enforcement in local parks, ‘illegal houses’ in Pinewood Gardens Road Umbilo, discussions with Queensmead Mall about adopting the Allenby Gardens Park, the installation of speed calming in Hillier Road, and the ongoing prosecution of trucks in this road. She also encouraged people to report issues in the area and forward reference numbers to her to escalate.
“There are still a number of street lights out in the area and people need to report these. Some are back on but there is a massive backlog as there has been no contractor in the city. A new contract is now in place,” she said.
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Sector manager Sgt Beverly Manqele spoke about incidents of crime and warned residents to be aware of hijackings which are occurring between 10am and 1pm and 5pm to 10pm.
She advised that hijackers were operating in groups of three and were zall armed and violent if resisted. Hotspot roads included Keits Avenue, King Dinizulu Road, Mazisi Kunene Road and Sydney Road.
She said house burglaries were occurring from between 6pm and 6am when occupants were at home, and houses targeted included those without fences, security systems and burglar guards which didn’t cover middle window panes.
She said police were increasing patrols and stop-and-search operations in the area.
Mike Myers from Mobi-Claw 911 addressed residents on their services, which are affordable and guarantee rapid response in the case of an emergency.
Mike, a former policeman, and his partner Paul Stone, ex-military, spent four and a half years doing research before launching Mobi-Claw, which co-ordinates a tactical rapid response to any emergency.
By pushing a button on the App, an alert goes out to SAPS, Metro Police, emergency services and armed response companies who will respond. Mike said 80 per cent of cases were medical emergencies, and 70 per cent happened outside of clients’ homes.
He said the company worked with a number of clients in the area and encouraged more people in the community to join at a sign-up cost of R135 and R64 per month.
Contact Care@mobi-claw.com or call 062 503 1176.
The next BSURF meeting will be on Tuesday, 9 July at Glenwood Community Church Hall, intersection of Clark and Bulwer Roads, at 6pm for 6.30pm.
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