Two hotspots in Monte Vista and Panorama, respectively, where people trade illegally and taxis park illegally, were visited by Mayco member for Safety and Security JP Smith last week.
He was accompanied by members of the local Monte Vista/Plattekloof Glen Neighbourhood Watch and Monte Vista/Plattekloof Glen Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association as well as the PWP Neighbourhood Watch (Plattekloof, Welgelegen, Panorama and Kleinbosch) and the ratepayers’ association of this area.
The Goodwood and Parow police, community policing forum, Fidelity ADT, Precinct Response and Swart Security also accompanied him while he visited an illegal informal trading site on Monte Vista Boulevard in Monte Vista before making his way to the illegal taxi rank on Plattekloof Road in Panorama on Friday 31 October.
The visit forms part of a walkabout he is conducting in several wards.
Smith’s office confirmed this week he had embarked on hotspot patrols across the metropole, following the deployment of the City of Cape Town’s Metro Police Neighbourhood Safety Officers (NSOs).
“These patrols provide an opportunity for key stakeholders such as neighbourhood watches, community policing forums, and security companies, among others, to engage with the team and highlight some of their ongoing concerns in the ward.
“These patrols are imperative for communities to establish working relationships with the NSO teams,” Smith said, “and to engage on protocols for reporting issues in their respective wards.”
TygerBurger has in the past reported on both the illegal traders in Monte Vista Boulevard and the illegal taxi-rank in Plattekloof Road. These issues have been a cause for concern among residents and motorists.
“The areas identified for the patrols came amid requests from the ward councillor,” Smith said, “and as highlighted by the NSO teams during the patrol, fines for illegal ranking and compliance notices for illegal trading had already been issued as the teams continue to monitor these sites.”
Leoné Pretorius, secretary of the Monte Vista Plattekloof Glen Neighbourhood Watch, said approximately 50 people attended the event.
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