Special operation held in Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve
"As we walked we looked under bushes and through dense vegetation and found nothing," said Madaray.
“I won’t send my police members in during the night. People can easily hide and if they are armed my members won’t stand a chance against them.”
RESIDENTS concerned about safety in Klipriviersberg Nature Reserve were informed that their concerns would be looked into.
This assurance came from officials including Col Janet Madaray from Mondeor SAPS, Johannesburg City, Parks and Zoo representatives (JCPZ), JMPD officials, local councillors and CPF Mondeor members, after a public meeting was held on October 10.
One resident at the meeting suggested SAPS should go into the reserve during the night to find the loiterers.
“After all, you are the police and are supposed to defend us.”
Madaray answered: “We aren’t afraid to go into the reserve but as the colonel, I won’t send my police members in during the night. People can easily hide and if they are armed my members won’t stand a chance against them.”
On November 14, a special operation was organised from the Silent Pool entrance to the nature reserve, with police members from Mondeor Police Station, Kibler Park CPF Sector Three members, members of Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) and City Park Rangers taking a walk through the nature reserve to see if they could spot any vagrants, stolen goods or suspicious-looking implements which could be used for house breaking-in purposes.
The various role players split up into three groups, walking different trails through the nature reserve where problematic spots had been identified. The orange, green and brown trails were targeted and the groups walked for over two hours to see if they could find anything the residents had complained about.
After the groups had finished their walks and met back at Silent Pool, they shared information and said no vagrants had been seen, nor anything found in the reserve.
“As we walked we looked under bushes and through dense vegetation and found nothing,” said Madaray.
It was determined breakages in fences were spotted, which need fixing or replacing to stop criminal activity along the borders of the nature reserve.
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