There is a new sheriff in charge at the Groote Schuur Community Improvement District (GSCID) office.
The organisation’s new general manager, Nina Farrell, took over from the retired Anthony Davies, who served as GSCID’s CEO for the past 18 years, acknowledging that she had some big shoes to fill.
Ms Farrell, who had been under the mentorship of Mr Davies for the past 14 months, said: “The transition was a smooth process and what I learned during this phase, and the stakeholders I have met will stand me in good stead going forward.”
She has worked in the corporate sector for just over 20 years in positions ranging from executive personal assistant to MDs and CEOs of corporate companies, to company secretary in the Fiduciary Services Sector. She has also had experience with a large spectrum of clients from banks and attorneys to SARS, CIPC and the Master of the High Court.
“I have over 20 years experience in the corporate sector and the administrative skills to implement structures and systems in all areas of the CID to make it operate more effectively. I am very hands-on always and like to see a project through from the beginning to end,” Ms Farrell said.
The GSCID started in 2010 in a back office of their current premises at 93 Main Road in Mowbray, operating from a trestle table under the leadership and guidance of Anthony Davies.
GSCID’s boundaries are Anzio Road in Groote Schuur and Letterstedt Road in Newlands. It also includes four business areas – Pick * Pay in Observatory, Mowbray and Rondebosch and the Dean Street Arcade.
The GSCID area is covered by a staff complement of 20 security personnel in different functions, four vehicles and five mobile kiosk on the street and this is on a 24-hour operation.
Ms Farrell has her sights firmly set on continuing to focus on the GSCID’s key areas of delivery, which are “security, cleaning and social outreach” within the GSCID precinct and to further develop the effective partnerships already established.
“My vision for the GSCID for the next five years is to work towards having cameras installed in our district with a satellite control room linked to the City of Cape Town CCTV camera operation and to have all public parking areas managed by the GSCID,” she said.
Ms Farrell will also be required to work closely with SAPS, law enforcement officers, University of Cape Town, Cape Peninsula University of Technology and politicians and officials of the City.
She hopes to build on the interaction with the local councillor to access ward allocation of funding to upgrade public parks and public spaces within the GSCID boundaries and also build relationships and interactions with internal staff and all role players.
Ms Farrell also acknowledged some of the challenges the area faced, among them, the “homeless clients on our streets and in our area”.
“We are always going to have a problem with the disadvantaged on our streets, our homeless clients. We have insufficient rehabilitation centres and not enough havens or night shelters in the Western Cape to accommodate them. We do not have enough bed space,” she said.
She added that a survey carried out in 2015 indicated that the ratio of homeless clients was around 7 300 homeless people on the streets and only 1 300 beds in havens across the Western Cape, suggesting that more jobs had to be created for the homeless.
Outside her role of general manager and the office, Ms Farrell enjoys interacting with her children’s school, supporting her son on the cricket, hockey and rugby fields, and her daughter with her hockey and swimming hobbies. She also serves as a member on the school’s Parent Teacher Association.
The retired Anthony Davies, who is regarded as the longest serving CID manager, having played a hand in establishing the Claremont Improvements District, Little Mowbray and Rosebank Improvement District and the GSCID, said: “I am absolutely delighted that my former director at the GSCID have appointed my former PA as the new General Manager of the GSCID.”
When asked what he planned to do now that he is retired, Mr Davies said: “I am looking at a number of options to pursue. After 18 years in the CID business, I certainly don’t want to sit around doing nothing.”
“I wish Nina great success and that she will continue the successful operations of the GSCID to upgrade the public spaces in the GSCID precinct.”
BLOB To make contact with the GSCID, call 021 685 0016 or the emergency number on 086 009 4625 or email info@gscid.co.za or visit the website www.gscid.co.za, and Facebook and Twitter pages.
