FOREIGN LANGUAGE VOLUNTEERS PLEASE!

The Linden CPF is holding a briefing session for foreign language volunteers who have offered support during the Soccer World Cup. These volunteers will provide translation assistance in the unfortunate event that a foreigner is involved in a crime or accident and is not comfortable with English. To date the Linden CPF has received offers of support from 20 volunteers who speak German, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, French, Hebrew, Swahili, Greek, Swiss, Russian and Urdu Hindi Punjabi. We are in need of more Portuguese and Spanish speaking volunteers.

The briefing session will be held at 7pm on Tuesday 20th of April at the Police Station. The session will cover do's and don'ts at crime scenes; and common forms and their purpose.

The Linden CPF Victim Support team will coordinate the involvement of foreign language volunteers. They have the connections, structures and processes in place to do this effectively.

To volunteer, please send your contact details, language and availability to admin@lindensaps.co.za. Alternatively just come along to the briefing session and sign up.

The Linden Precinct covers the following suburbs: Aldara Park, Blairgowrie, Blackheath (North of Beyers Naude), Cresta, Craighall Park (West of the Spruit), Darrenwood, Ferndale (South of Republic), Fontainebleau, Jacanlee, Kelland, Linden, LindenPark, Malanshof, Montroux, Moret, Pine Park, Pierneef Park, President Ridge, Randpark, Randpark Ext 3, Risidale, Robin Hills, Robin Acres, Robindale, Roosevelt Park (North of Beyers Naude), Ruiterhof, Victory Park, Windsor East, Windsor West and Windsor Glen.

www.lindensaps.co.za

DA opposition to Electricity Tariff

Increases pays off for Ratepayers...

Joburg residents should be pleasantly surprised in August when they receive their electricity bills for July, the first month of the City’s new financial year. These will reflect only a small increase in electricity charges instead of the proposed massive hikes of up to 50% which the City of Johannesburg wanted to impose and was accepted at the Council meeting in May, although the DA voted against it.

The stance adopted by the Democratic Alliance and backed by the many ratepayers who submitted their objections to oppose the massive increases in electricity tariffs for Johannesburg ratepayers was vindicated by the National Electricity Regulator (NER) which disallowed any increase in the energy charge for three phase residential electricity and cut the charge for residential use by 50%. Dennis Hunt, DA Spokesperson on Power in the City of Johannesburg (CoJ), says the NER has taken the ANC-led Council to task over its proposed tariffs due for immediate implementation by slashing the proposals for domestic single phase energy tariffs by 50% and for domestic three phase tariffs by 100%.

“In March this year, City Power proposed increases in the single phase tariff that amounted to rises of between 53% and 60 % as well as a stepped tariff for increasing consumption, and for increases of 23% to 27 % for the three phase tariff,” says Hunt. “Last year we had increases of between 43% to 60% in the three phase tariff and 20% for single phase, a serious injustice for the three phase residential consumers which also led to difficulties particularly for townhouse and flat dwellers. The Regulator has now insisted that the energy charges in the two tariffs be the same, and that the 43% increase last year was too much.”

Hunt says that the CoJ City Power proposals were vigorously opposed by the DA, with the party’s representatives repeatedly pointing out the recklessness of this move to the ANC controlled Council and relevant committees.

“These increases, especially in the light of the difficulties currently experienced by many consumers and businesses in a period of economic recession, were particularly unjust and unnecessarily punitive, and we are pleased that the NER has taken this decision,” says Hunt.

Increases in other tariffs such as industrial, prepayment, agricultural and the lifeline tariffs were approved. Details can be seen on the CoJ website www.joburg.org.za, and the City Power website www.citypower.co.za.

Issued by: Councillor Dennis HuntEmail: dennish@joburg.org.zaTelephone: 083 800 2144

SECURITY ALERT

Note from Editor: This story is unverified, but sounds entirely possible! Rather be cautious! It may be a bit overkill, but you might consider asking all people that enter your premises to provide proof of identification?

5th August 2009

"YOUR PROTECTION IS OUR CONCERN"

A new crime has hit Johannesburg. Last week a home owner and his family were held in an armed robbery in the Randburg area, after the plumbers they were using to assist with the renovations in their house, arrived at the gate to say that they had left tools and needed to check a pipe. They were driving a newish double cab and they had the plumbers advertising car magnets on the doors. They also had plumbing pipes on the roof rack – all looked very legit.

Needless to say the owner let them in and they were held up. A panic button was hit and the police arrived extremely quickly. The truck and 3 guys were captured. In the truck they found layout plans to houses and car magnet advertising boards for plumbers, electricians and handymen.

Apparently crime syndicates are paying the “workers” from these companies a nice sum of money to do hand drawn layouts of each house they work in (especially long term projects like renovations). They then steal their boss’s car magnet advertising boards and it’s a package deal for the syndicates.

They can practically get through all security complexes and boom gates in this way. They arrive the day after a project is completed or when there is a waiting period (they get tipped off by the “worker” for the company), so no one assumes anything out of the ordinary.

Please make sure you know if the contractor needs entry to your house once they have finished with the project.


Kind regards

Operations Department
Tactical Reaction Services

Renew your car licence at the Post Office

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Gauteng motorists can now renew their motor vehicle licenses at selected Post Offices in the province. This partnership between the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport and the Post Office is an effort to take the services to the people while improving service delivery to communities. Motorists must produce a printed renewal notice and an ID book to renew a motor vehicle license. If they do not have a renewal notice, motorists can complete the relevant documentation for the license to be processed. This initiative is in phase one; phase two will culminate into the expansion of other National Road Traffic Act services. Among others, the Government in partnership with the Post Office is rendering payment services for social grants, water and electricity bills for more than 100 municipalities. Ndala Mnisi, head of Consumer Services at the Post Office, said at the pre-launch ceremony that the Post Office constantly develops new services to meet the connectivity needs of the nation. “The Post Office partners with government to provide services such as this,” said Mnisi. “We are delighted to partner with the Post Office to facilitate the payment and issuing of motor vehicle licenses,” said Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Mr Bheki Nkosi. He added “with longer operating hours, opening on Saturday and some of them on Sundays, located within the communities and shopping malls, the Post Office becomes a strategic partner to the Department in ensuring accessibility of services. Motorists can now conveniently pay their motor vehicle licenses and municipal bills at the Post Office at the same time.” Motorists who renew licenses at a post office immediately receive a valid license disk and receipt.

Department of Roads and Transport Tel: 011 355-7532 Fax: 011 355-7509

LOOKOUT ISSUED FROM THE LINDEN CPF

Please be on the lookout for a white 42 year old male driving a Silver Ford Fiesta SCY442GP.He is currently out on bail for child molestation charges. He specifically targets boys between the ages of 6-13. He is known to be in the greater Linden area.


**Lookout issued by the Linden CPF**
Website: www.lindensaps.co.zaEmail: admin@lindensaps.co.za

BE VIGILANT AND SAFETY CONSCIOUS - IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!

Dr. Rudolph Zinn of the School of Criminal Justice at UNISA did intensive research on residential robberies and attacks, and interviewed many arrested and convicted robbers. Some of his findings are alarming, some are surprising - but they are all well worth taking note of. Then make your own conclusion and beef up your security where necessary.
* During the past year, house robberies increased by13,5%.
* Of the almost 15 000 residential robberies committed in2008, half (50%) took place in Gauteng.
* The average age of a house robber is between 19 and 26years.
* An average of 30% of all house robbers have either committed murder, or won't hesitate to commit murder.
* Only 17% of house robbers are foreigners.
* Of all arrested robbers, 90% had no matric or were unemployed. The 10% who had been employed, gave up their jobs when confirming how much they could "earn" from a robbery. * Most victims or targets are affluent persons who openly display their wealth, e.g. expensive cars, jewellery, up market homes.
* Much intelligence is gathered about the target home and its residents by means of inside information supplied by domestic workers.
* Eight out of ten residential robberies are committed with the help of information from domestic workers, gardeners and from their employees.
* The robbers will monitor the home and movements for as long as is needed to formulate a plan of attack - sometimes up to two weeks.
* All gangs research and monitor the response times of armed response companies.
* Most attacks occur between 19:00 and midnight as people are relaxed, busy cooking or watching TV, and the security systems and beams are not activated. But robberies continue until 04:00 in the morning.
* The biggest deterrent confirmed by robbers themselves,are small dogs that are kept inside the home.
* Alarm systems and armed reaction services are not considered a deterrent. Electric fences, closed-circuit TV (CCTV) and detection beams do, however, deter robbers.
* An average of R5 000 is stolen during each robbery.
* Surprisingly, victims of house robberies are only seriously injured in 2% of all incidents.
* 35% of robbers robbed for basic needs (hunger, poverty),while 65% enjoyed the money and spent it on clothes, cars, etc.
* The average robber commits 103 robberies over seven years before being caught.
* A staggering 97% of all robbers are armed, and on average there are four members in an armed robbery gang.
* Most attackers' homes or bases are a 10 to 30 minute drive from the target address.
* Women are more often tortured or hurt during house robberies.
* The conviction rate for house robberies in South Africa is only 7,67%. In the USA it is 53%.While these statistics and facts may be disturbing, even alarming, we trust that they may sharpen the vigilance of each member. If you have safety measures at your home, ensure that they are in place. Test your security equipment regularly... never be complacent and think that it only happens to other people. It is in your own best interest rather to be safe than sorry!

Note from Editor: This original interview was on JCW's show, and is available as a podcast. Go to http://www.702.co.za/index.asp to hear it.

LINDEN COMMUNITY POLICING FORUM

Please visit the LCPF website for information on CPF meetings. You never know - you may be able to assist the police and your community. If you would like to find out more about becoming a police reservist or assisting the police by helping at the front desk or victim support, please do so. There is a link on our blog-site - use it!

DRUG & ALCOHOL ABUSE - LINDEN CPF

DRUG & ALCOHOL ABUSE IN OUR COMMUNITY

To Community and Resident Associations in the Greater Linden Precinct:

Your input and attendance is needed at the CPF meeting on Tuesday.

Please forward this email to your community and please start to gather input and suggestions.

The Linden CPF has planned three public meetings during 2009 on the subject of "drug and alcohol abuse in the community". The first meeting is scheduled for Tuesday 12 May at 6pm at the Linden Police Station.The purpose of the first community meeting is to gather information and start to build a profile on the status of drug/alcohol abuse, prevention and law enforcement in the community.

The second meeting (provisionally scheduled for September) will focus on criminal justice (including courts); and the last meeting (November) will focus on rehabilitation and support.

The purpose of the three meetings is to inform SAPS intervention priorities in our community. From previous meetings we know that there is a problem in the latter steps in our criminal justice system - - these in drug dealers being set free soon after they are caught by our police. At the April CPF meeting, some progress was been made with prosecutors in our Randburg court, but it will be some time before we see tangible results. In the interim we need to tell SAPS what they should be focussing on in the next few months:

Should we be pushing SAPS to catch dealers over the next few months when we know they will be back on the street in days, or should SAPS be focused on other important drug and alcohol related interventions? To help answer this question we need to start to understand the status of drug and alcohol abuse in our community?

Has there been a change in the state of drug and alcohol abuse in the community? How significant is the change relative to 2, 5 and 10 years ago? We need to understand this separately for drug and alcohol and have tangible examples that illustrate the change?
What sectors of the community have been impacted the most and what is the nature of the impact?

What changes have you seen in the status of drug and alcohol prevention and law enforcement?
What additional and different community-initiated interventions are needed? What is the nature of such interventions and what are the differing roles needed from community structures the CPF and also from SAPS? The Linden Community Policing Forum has had many drug-focused initiatives over the last few years including an Anti Drug March; Drug Awareness Art Competitions; and various School interventions. Given the growing problem in our community, we anticipate that we may need a more comprehensive and integrated programme. We are also looking for input on community-based programmes, events and activities. In particular we may need volunteers, input and assistance at structuring and executing an integrated community Anti-Drug programme. We really encourage your attendance and input at the open/public meeting on Tuesday. Please send any input that you may have to any of the Linden CPF Executive Committee members.

The meeting on Tuesday is an important step in the fight against drug and alcohol abuse in our community. Please be there.

REPORTING OF PROBLEMS TO THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES

To all concerned residents!

At a recent Ward meeting it appeared that records of problems and complaints don’t seem to get to the relevant authorities and Don Forbes is looking at a way that a record could be kept of issues reported.

We are going to see if it is possible to create a means on this RRRA blog-site where residents can record any matters that they have reported.

To do so, it would be useful if residents could enter their name, address, contact telephone number, nature of problem, locality of problem (EG pot hole on corner of Winston and Clive), date reported, reported to whom (JRA, JHB Water, City Power, Parks etc) and most important the reference number, into a comment below this post.

We will endeavour to ensure that these comments reach the relevant authority and hopefully can be dealt with as soon as possible.

RRRA - trying to work together for the community!

Oh, on that note, please join the committee, as many hands make light work!

CABLE THEFT

To Robin Acres and President Ridge Residents,
Please note that there has been increased Cable Theft activity in our area.
As a result of a crack down in neighbouring Blairgowrie, the criminals are moving. Should you suspect cable thieves, please contact City Power's control room on: 011 490 7553 or contact your Armed Response service provider. The City Power vehicle in Maid Marion last Thursday night (around 22h00) turned out to be operated by cable thieves.
An organisation called Amachlo Consulting has been appointed by City Power to assist in apprehending these criminals. They have started monitoring our area since Monday evening and will be conducting patrols (unmarked cars) and searches. If you have any doubt as to the identity of these guys please call myself (provide vehicle make, colour, registration number and number of occupants).
We continue to implore on you NEVER to allow "officials" onto your properties until you have confirmed with an independent source that they are allowed to be there. NEVER ALLOW "OFFICIALS" INTO YOUR HOMES. Call your Armed Response Service provider to accompany you in any doubt.
Please make sure your workers and visitors are aware of the increased threat.