Contrary to what some people say (though I can count them on one hand), we do not just report bad news. I do not live in Cape Town and wonder if other Capetonians share this person's viewpoint.
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Over a year ago I moved from the quiet suburbs surrounding Cape Town into the city centre.
Not only do I live right in the middle of town, I work there too. I walk to and from work every week day, I frequently visit the surrounding restaurants at night, and I shop in and around the city.
My life is in the city - and I love it!
Most of the cities in South Africa have not got a good reputation as far as crime is concerned, however, I feel completely safe in the City of Cape Town. The reason why I feel safe is because everywhere I go I see the bright green and yellow bibbed guards of the Cape Town City Partnership’s security cluster.
The CCID’s security partnership, working with the Central City’s business community, the South African Police Services and other security organisations and stakeholders, have formed a tight security net around the City.
Due to this cooperative effort, the crime rate has dropped significantly and many incidents are prevented from happening.
I have experienced this first-hand.
A few weeks ago a gang of youths tried to intimidate me when I was walking home from work. I saw them the following week and they tried again. So I wrote to the CCID via their website, and expressed my concern that this group was basically “up to no good.”
I received an email promptly back from the CCID and then a phone call. The CCID Chief Operations Officer Tasso Evangelinos phoned me himself and thanked me for expressing my concerns. He then told me that there was a new gang operating in the area, a group of former Pollsmoor prison inmates from the 28’s gang, and that they were already monitoring them.
He then asked if I could meet his security manager for coffee to express my concerns.
So a few days later I met with the CCID’s security manager Muneeb Hendricks in a coffee shop close to my work. For the next hour he listened to my concerns and assured me that as a resident and citizen of the city of Cape Town, the CCID “had my back” - so to speak.
He then gave me his personal card and asked me to phone him directly if I ever experienced any problems in the future or, if I noticed anything suspicious. He also gave me a list of other numbers to call if he was unavailable.
He then told me about the various initiatives the CCID had to offer. For example, the CCID’s Social Development department, working together with various NGOs, assists homeless people in the Central City as well as alleviating poverty by supporting skills training and job creation projects.
Finally, Muneeb said that crime prevention and visible policing was the key to fighting crime in the City. Currently, the CCID security component that walks the streets of Cape Town, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, consists of 155 foot officers. 4 bicycle squads and 6 Equestrian officers per shift; 6 Mobile units; 6 Control room officers; and 6 Shift supervisors.
There are also 2 dedicated CCID security managers and 3 dedicated contract security managers.
I walked away from the meeting feeling so impressed, and of course, feeling very safe.
I praise the CCIDs efforts and cannot thank them enough for making me feel safe in this wonderful city! CCID 24 hour number: 082 415 7127
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