Mr. Bheki Khenisa, the Municipal Manager (MM) of Steve Tshwete Local Municipality (STLM) met with members from the Security Cluster to give an update of STLM’s actions regarding safety within the Central Business District(CBD).
The MM informed representatives from the security companies, South African Police Services (SAPS), the Community Police Forum and the Middelburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) of STLM’s recent actions regarding the safety in the CBD. He said that although crime prevention is not STLM’s competency the crime statistics of Middelburg is a concern, and the Council has approved funds to implement STLM’s Safety and Security Strategy.
The municipality installed cameras in various areas in Middelburg and Hendrina and is under twenty-four-hour surveillance in a state of the art control room. He warned that there is strict access control to the control room, but there will be a viewing room for authorised organisations such as SAPS. There is also a radio link to SAPS to ensure quick and effective action.
Khenisa also discussed issues such as vacant stands and incomplete building sites and said that legal opinion had been sought to clarify bylaw regulations that apply to the problem sites. He also reminded the Cluster that STLM has advertised the relevant Bylaws and urged the public to familiarise themselves with these laws.
MCCI welcomes the actions by STLM and urges businesses to support this project as it will have a direct impact on the crime that affects business.
