Crime prevention day highlights poaching

On 24 August, Midrand Community Police Forum’s Sector 4 Crime Forum hosted a crime prevention and awareness day in the sector, which spans the Greater Kyalami Conservancy, Riversands Farm, Kyalami Estates and Barbeque Downs.

Community members braved the cold morning to meet Midrand police, Midrand Community Police Forum Sector 4 members, Region A officials, members of Diepsloot’s Waste Buy-back Centre and Citizen Relations Urban Management officials. Security companies TRS and Nightguard also helped.

Personnel were seen on horseback and motorbikes, in vehicles and helicopters and on foot, scouring the fields for snares and on the lookout for criminal behaviour.

Midrand Sector 4 Crime Forum chairperson Takis Michalakis said, “Twelve people were detained for crimes ranging from possession of a stolen vehicle, drinking in public, being in South Africa without a permit, possession of drugs and dealing in drugs. At one of the roadblocks a suspicious silver Audi Q7 was picked up and it was later confirmed that the vehicle was stolen in Sandton. At another roadblock two suspects were found in possession of dagga. At the third roadblock two suspects were found with a large quantity of dagga and detained for dealing in drugs.”

To the dismay of many residents, especially vice chairperson of the Greater Kyalami Conservancy, Mandy Collins – who has been at the forefront of raising awareness against poaching – many snares were found.

The field on the corner of Oak Road and Rena Road in Kyalami, near an abandoned house, was a snaring hotspot.

The Lovell family’s cat has been caught in snares twice, most recently about two months ago: the cat’s neck was trapped in a wire snare for 11 days.

The abandoned house had evidence of vagrants living in it and Michalakis said, “Law enforcement and City officials saw first-hand what the impact of vagrants living in abandoned houses in the area can be.”

Michalakis also raised concern over the extent of vagrants living in Barbeque Downs, as seen from an aerial view from a helicopter.

Midrand police’s Colonel Steven Moodley thanked the community for supporting the crime prevention day and said Midrand police was pleased to work with the Sector 4 team.

However, Ward 93 councillor Annette Deppe raised concern that not all the allocated officials were present. “Councillors were called to an operational planning meeting and informed about which units would be deployed. On an oversight visit, the manpower allocated was not visible and it is a concern that what was promised, did not appear to be delivered.”