The Gillitts 2 Community Network is looking to expand its fight against crime by getting all Gillitts residents on board.
The Gillitts 2 Community Network was founded by chairman, Allan Dyer, who moved from Morningside where he had been involved in his local CPF (Community Policing Forum) and noticed a lack of community supported aid against crime when he moved to the Gillitts 2 area, which consists of all the roads on the south side of the M13 from the Everton Road turnoff up to the Winston Park Caltex.
“In Morningside, I became involved with a group of other community members, role players and the CPF in trying to find a balance between the legal/illegal “nightlife” as well as the residents and businesses who operated and lived among that. So I am aware of what a huge positive difference pro-active civilians can be. When we moved to Gillitts I started asking “why are we not talking to each other” as a community?”
“The one day I was home and saw a Tweet from a Metro police officer and another member of the public about an incident and that the suspect was fleeing along my road. I contacted that person and found out he lived at the end of my road. It was then that I realised that with the power of modern technology two strangers that have never met, can share the same goal in trying to spot a criminal so we can assist the enforcement authorities with apprehension.”
He met with Jill Clark from the Gillitts Park Community Association and others involved in Neighbourhood Watches in different areas to share ideas. In August 2013 he started a three man group on WhatsApp between himself and two distant neighbours, who are now part of the committee of seven, and from there the initiative grew. Word of mouth spread and soon their numbers were up as residents started joining the WhatsApp group to stay in contact and aware of happenings.
With Hillcrest CPF’s request that neighbouring areas form legitimate sub-forums and represent their members at the CPF level, the Gillitts 2 Sub Forum was officially registered in November 2013. So the Gillitts 2 Community Network can represent their community at that level with SAPS etc.
They represent about 300 residents on their WhatsApp group and are a feeder info channel for other groups that spread the info and alerts to their residents, making the outreach even larger. They work closely with other neighbouring areas like Winston Park, Kloof, Hillcrest, Gillitts Park, Manors, New Germany and Pinetown (to name a few) areas to share info, warn of suspects and raise alarms and alerts for neighbouring areas.
“I feel it’s very important to play a massive education role in what we do. Many people don’t report all crime to SAPS and they don’t know how or what to do. In our alerts we try and have something that can be learnt from an incident. We have to try prevent the next incident occurring by making residents aware of criminal modus operandi so that they can see their own weaknesses in their properties and hopefully secure those before they become a victim.”
“We don’t want to replace SAPS, Metro and the security firms. It’s not our intention to become an army. We want to become the eyes and ears for them, move the correct accurate info through the channels to the role players and thereby prevent or assist in capturing those who do not respect our community and the law.”
Other Community Networks / Neighbourhood Watches have proven that having extra eyes in the neighbourhoods is invaluable in the fight against crime and this is also the aim of Gillitts 2. In April 2014 the Gillitts 2 Community Patrols was officially established under the leadership of Ryan Bowler, the Gillitts 2 Patrol Co-ordinator.
“I would like to thank the Patrollers who dedicate their free time, at their own cost to keep the rest of their community safe – without volunteers, this initiative would not exist, and Gillitts 2 and all other communities whereby patrols are implemented would be worse off for it. Thanks also to the key roleplayers in our neighbouring areas (Winston Park, Hillcrest, Kloof, Gillitts Park) that have been supportive and assisted us in getting to where we are today,” said Bowler.
Allan Dyer added, “Criminals don’t go into areas that have a higher chance of being seen, thwarted and getting caught. They move on to target easier softer targets. It’s a simple numbers game, the more eyes and ears we have communicating effectively the safer and more powerful we are to assist.”
The success of groups like this are highlighted by incidences such as when they received a message from an elderly gentlemen who was walking his dog and saw a male entering a property that he shouldn’t be. Blue security were called and chased the man out before he could get to the office park or the vehicles that were parked there.
The group would not be as effective without the much needed donations made by companies such as the 2 way radios donated by Blue Security to the patrol team and Gillitts Caltex Freshstop garage who sponsored magnetic decals for the patrol vehicles and erected signage on their premises. They are also working with Enforce security to identify camera placements that would be beneficial in tightening up the area.
The Gillits 2 Community Network is looking to grow their numbers and is hoping to get the whole neighbourhood involved.
“Knowledge is power. If you don’t know your neighbour, you are in a very dangerous situation. We aim to have our whole neighbourhood on communications through us, supported by the relevant SAPS, Metro, Fire and other security firms and services. It is only through the community’s involvement that we can assist. No one person can do it all and be everywhere,” said Allan Dyer.
“The effectiveness of this initiative is dependent upon the participation of residents in the Gillitts 2 area. Residents are encouraged to speak to friends, neighbours and colleagues and convince them to sign up. If anyone would like to assist with sponsorship of any kind, that would also be much appreciated,” said Ryan Bowler.
To learn more about the Gillits 2 Community Network contact Allan Dyer on 082 651 7888 or if anyone has a few hours to spare each week/month and would like to avail themselves for patrols contact Ryan Bowler at gillitts2patrols@gmail.com or 084 850 0231 or visit their website www.gillitts2.co.za.
