Battery upgrade nearly finished for Town Watch CCTV system
Hoedspruit Town Watch is upgrading its CCTV backup batteries to lithium-based batteries after being affected by load-shedding.
“This is an expensive exercise; however, we have nearly finished this. With this in mind we are looking at other options for communication should Eskom go beyond stage 6 on a semi or permanent basis,” stated Town Watch in their monthly newsletter to members. They said that during the planned shutdown last month, both Farm Watch and Town Watch had very visible patrols in the streets and surrounding areas and the camera team monitored the cameras on a 24-hour basis.
“The men and women patrolling and monitoring cameras, need a big thank you for their efforts. Our security companies also assisted in and around town. SAPS was on standby, and we had open and direct communication with them,” they said. Crimes such as malicious damage to property, driving under the influence and damaging property, scamming, and others were attended to successfully. “Town Watch and Farm Watch co-ordinate their patrol teams to ensure no duplication. Our relationship with Farm Watch has never been better and more and more, we are working as one organisation with clearly defined responsibilities.
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Our patrol teams often report that doors or gates are left open, ladders are left outside and windows facing roads are unprotected.” Their camera network is now completely installed, and the team of operators consists of young professionals to retired residents. “Recently, we signed up and trained one of our international residents that lives partly in Hoedspruit and partly in Europe. This resident will take up one of the slots and monitor the Hoedspruit camera network from Europe. “We hope that this will motivate more of our international and national residents to participate in the safety of our town.”
They say trucks remain a big problem. “We, together with the Chamber of Commerce are engaging regularly with the traffic authorities and the municipal authorities to come to a solution. A few very visible vehicle accidents were experienced this month and while we are glad that no one got hurt, we remain very concerned about the lack of respect for the law when driving in Hoedspruit.”. Town Watch is a voluntary organisation. Contributions of R50 per month or R600 per household are welcomed, however, any higher or lower donation is also welcomed. “These funds go towards camera maintenance, radios, data costs for the camera network, basic equipment such as white lights, reflective jackets, torches, and more,” concludes the management.
