The Groote Schuur Community Improvement District (GSCID) is a business on solid footing with ample reserves – this was the message of chairman Chris Huntingford at its annual general meeting on Thursday November 22.
Mr Huntingford said they planned to spend these reserves on several projects next year to upgrade and improve the CBD.
He said the extra money had come from back levy charges, debt retention and tight financial control on operating expenses.
“In our CID, crime and grime issues continue to be our focus. it is our responsibility to maintain and improve the environment which daily affects our stakeholders’ ability to operate and thrive. This I believe we have done well,” he said.
Mr Huntingford said the implementation of their camera system, as well as the construction of the control room had been key projects for GSCID this year (“Mowbray crime prevention gets a boost,” Southern Suburbs Tatler, September 27).
The surveillance centre provides 24-hour security monitoring capabilities and services to the greater southern suburbs.
“These are further steps in achieving a vision of a pedestrian-friendly academic and business node. We have also used additional foot patrollers and horse boxes to help fight crime,” he said.
At the AGM, Mr Huntingford said they were looking at spending about R600 000 to R800 000 on additional horse boxes or mobile kiosk, which are placed at the hot spot areas and are manned 24/7. Members were in support of this proposal.
GSCID general manager, Nina Farrell, said its security complement currently had 32 patrol staff, two vehicles, two trailers and nine mobile kiosks, as well as 12 additional patrol staff and two vehicles sponsored by the University of Cape Town.
For the period of July 2017 to June 2018, they had assisted in 15 successful arrests, attended to 199 accidents, logged 723 maintenance issues with the City of Cape Town and dealt with 183 crime issues.
On the social outreach component, Ms Farrell said they currently had 23 homeless clients in
their boundaries, with nine working on the Straatwerk Programme;
and they’ve assisted in six relocations.
