BULWER Community Safety Forum held its monthly community meeting on Tuesday, where Captain Robbie Mahabeer gave a display on self defence to those present.
Captain Mahabeer, an officer with 36 years, along with Josh Nichol, from COPS Safety and Survival Academy, spoke to residents about crime and how they need to act against it. Mahabeer and Nichol did a presentation for residents, showing them practical and simple techniques of self defence, in situations where they would be faced with someone who was barehanded or armed with a knife or gun.
Preceding the presentation, Mahabeer and Nichol presented Heather Rorick, chairperson of Bulwer Community Safety Forum, with a COPS T-shirt in appreciation for and recognition of the work she does in the Bulwer area.
Speaking at the meeting, Rorick mentioned the good work Metro Police has been doing in the area in the past few weeks. She thanked the officers for the clean-ups which they have been doing along with DSW, and said it was making a difference.
“From 11.30pm to the morning, the officers are working in the area and attending to problem roads like Che Guevara, Helen Joseph and around Dalton Hostel. I'm very chuffed with the work they are doing, and every complaint I sent through is being attended to. They have arrested 21 people across the central area under the new by-laws, so they are working, and are in the area,” she said.
Rorick warned residents about people going around stealing gate batteries.
“Thieves are going after batteries in the area. Please ensure you have a bracket over your gate battery,” she said.
She said there has been an upsurge in crime across the board in all areas, and said theft out of and of motor vehicles was on the increase. She said petty crime and prostitution were still rife in Glenwood.
“We also have a number of drug houses which are popping up in the area, which we are taking a note of. We are working on a programme for Helen Joseph Road to sort out crime and to regulate car guards in the road, so these are exciting times,” she said.
She urged residents to get involved with patrols, either vehicle or foot, as she said the need was great, and with limited patrollers, they had to limit their time out on the road.
“We know residents pay rates and taxes, and feel that the police should be doing this job, but there are not enough police to cover the entire area. All communities are taking to forming community watches and we appeal to young people, especially men, to get involved, and to attend meetings,” she said.
If you are interested in joining patrols, contact Dylan on 081 579 6017.
The DA candidate for ward 33, Mmabatho Tembe, was introduced at the meeting. “I am pleased to be at this meeting and look forward to getting to know people and the area. I will be getting very involved from now until the election,” she said.
Tembe spoke to the community about a public meeting which will be held on 23 May at St Thomas' Church, Musgrave at 6.30pm. The meeting will be for the three Berea Wards – ward 33 (Glenwood and Umbilo), ward 31 (Musgrave, Overport and Sydenham) and ward 27 (Morningside and Greyville) and the guest speaker is the Chief Whip of the DA in Parliament, John Steenhuisen MP.
She encouraged the residents to go and engage with local election candidates as well as the chief whip.
For more information on the forum, and what it does, contact 072 265 9242, email bulwercommunity@gmail.com or visit the forum on Facebook at Bulwer Community Safety Forum.
