Mending broken fences at Nature Reserve

Recent incidences like the unexpected excursion by a brace of buck on Kouga Street in Winchester Hills or mysterious small fires lighting up on the Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve are some of the unusual sightings that Mondeor CPF Michelle Pelser says would be quickly resolved if more people notified each other on their cellphones.

Not only are the broken fences around the Nature Reserve a cause for easy access to resident’s homes for thieves and vagrants but the accumulating amount of shrubs also help these law breakers to hide stolen goods and start fires at night.

“We’ll do a crime drive on Devereaux Avenue because we need to get residents on board as far as signing up and getting to know what’s happening,” said Michelle, also appealing to people in Sector 1 2 and 3 to please make sure that they join the WhatsApp and BBM groups.

The convenience of chat sites when looking to disseminate security information or emergency alerts is reportedly contributing a great deal in crime reduction, ensuring that law breakers are caught and brought to book in various areas in Johannesburg south communities.

“We’ve been in consultation with Bishop and Councillors at the Reserve, trying to resolve all the problems. I did speak to City Parks and Reserves Operations Committee Chairperson, Dr Gulam Karim and I explained what’s going on and he said that he would take it up with his team,” added Pelser.

Cllr Peter Stewart of ward 125 suggested that a fence with no scrap value be used instead of steel palisade fencing which usually gets stolen.

The list of streets that residents should be on high alert include: Kouga Street and Devereaux Avenue in Winchester Hills, Colworth Avenue, Chelverton Avenue and Montbank Road in Alan Manor as well as Potgieter Street in Suiderood.

Although problems of housebreaking have got better on Potgieter Street, the other areas above are still a high risk.