REPORT FROM THE EGSA

DOMESTIC FORUM

Purpose: WorkingTogether, Creating Awareness And

Aiming Towards a Safer Community

Date: 25 November 2009

Emmarentia Greenside Domestic workers teaparty was held at the Emmarentia Sailing Club for the third and last meeting of the year pertaining for the discussion associated with the security welfare around the area. We gathered to follow up on the previous meeting, reinforce unity and co-operation between the domestic workers, Fidelity Reaction Services and the South African Police Services at Emmarentia and Greenside. We had the same 20 members in the group as in the previous meetings. They had some tea and biscuits as they came.

FidelitySecurity Services: Priscilla Madondo

Priscilla gave a warm welcome to thegroup and appreciated their unfailing presence and commitment to the gesture.She commented about the owners going out on holidays during the festive season and the importance of the domestics to be more alert and vigilant, in order to safe guard their life’s and the houses they are employed to look after. Information sharing and taking relevant actions towards combating crime was still the topic of the day, so it was important that people share their concerns and experiences in terms of crime related issues. We did a recap on the previous matters and requested feedback from the SAPS if any action hasbeen taken regarding those incidents.

SAPS: Supt Magudulela

She warned the group that it is that time of the year when everybody has to take precautions in whatever they do because criminals are really at work. She explained the nature of crimes they are dealing with, that is house robberies, motor vehicle theft and shoplifting during this period. They are engaged in the special operations,whereby they work together with the security companies to raid the houses insearch of illegal immigrants. She requested that the residents and the domestics should bear with them and give full support because this is the only solution in underpinning syndicates that emanate within the houses and causes problems for the entire community. Strangers should be reported at all times so that they can be approached to identify themselves.

Feedback

Botanical Gardens Robberies – Arrest has been made and the suspect is linked to other houses robberies.

Concerns

Green Venture – 3 males travelling along Mayfield road
White Chico - 2 Adult males and 4 Young males targetingUmtata. Car registration always changing but the car and occupants always the same.
White woman selling vegetables in an attempt to get inside the property.
Black woman with baby pretending to ask for food and water, after gaining access the accomplice will surface and rob the house.
The scam of giving R2000.00 for investment in return of R5000.00 and a trip to China.
A call form person pretending to be an employee at the Dept of Labour, back checking whether the employee was registered for UIF and asks for the domestic details and traces their movements during that time. They later phone the employer with the information, giving the impression that they are family of the domestic and claims that the particular domestic has died on her way to where she was going and asks for the money for the funeral from the employer.

Suggestions and Recommendations

People need to be aware of their surroundings, more especially at the banks and Atm’s because the festive season is approaching and crime is always rife at this time of the year.
Speak to the Car guards at Checkers to be on a lookout of the White Chico because the 2 Adults wait there while the 4 young ones explore the area to find their targets.
Never disclose personal any other information to strangers that may lead to you being defrauded. Ask questions to confirm if the person or the caller is legitimate.
During the holidays make sure that there is someone in the house to keep the lights on at night, open and close the windows to discourage criminals from noticing that the house is vacant.
Report suspicious vehicle or individual wandering around aimlessly in the area to the police.
Panic buttons should be given to domestics.
The anonymous tip off telephone number and the emergency number to be made available to the residents and domestics so that they will be able to report incidents to security via the phone.

The Ladies who attended the Domestic Watch meeting

Conclusion

The meeting progressed perfectly, and Anne Askews wrapped it up and wished everyone well for the festive season and safe trips home and we dispersed. The next meeting will be held at the Emmarentia Sailing Club on the 27^th January 2010 at 10h00.

Written by Priscilla Madondo

Please Note: These telephone numbers have to be available in all the homes.

Emergency No.: 10111

SAPS Parkview: 011 486 5000

Tip-offs Anonymous: 080 000 2222 or 302211

Fidelity Reaction Services: 086 11 11 999

Family Fun Day

There are several reasons why more and more residents are joining the EGSA, and helping our community to help itself.

The community principle - It’s a community led and community serving project. The EGSA has grown from a request by both the GRA and ERA for a NEW solution to our changing security needs. Committee members first chose a model and then chose a service provider. EGSA is now a stand alone section 21 (not for profit) company and with directors who are all residents.

The economic principle - Most of us already employ an armed response company. Collectively we spend nearly R10 000 000 per annum on armed response in the area. The EGSA is a way to collect that money and buy better services for us all. If you are already paying someone to protect you, why not get more control over how and when that money is spent.

The service principle – By banding together we not only spend more effectively, we also strengthen our bargaining position when service is not up to scratch. The EGSA has service level agreements in place and can financially penalise our service provider when they don’t comply. Can you withhold funds from your current company when they respond late or not at all? EGSA members meet with Fidelity management regularly to discuss member concerns, and the EGSA gets vehicle tracking logs every week to monitor patrol performance. EGSA will approach all future challenges via the systems and processes already in place.

The value principle – EGSA investigated the security industry widely before making its recommendations. It is true that many of us can pay more than R380/month, but there is no need for us to do so – not when EGSA can put one new patrol vehicle on our streets for every 90 households that join up. Our initiative is not about how much residents can afford to pay for better security, it’s how much we need to pay.

5 points about Fidelity

Fidelity is the biggest guarding company in the southern hemisphere
Fidelity was established in South Africa in 1957, and is Proudly South African.
Fidelity is SAIDSA, PSIRA, ISO 90002 and SABS certified and approved.
Prior to employment, Fidelity staff are trained at their in-house SAQA accredited training institutions, and undergo attitude and polygraph testing as part of the background and aptitude testing.
Fidelity Security Services protects the residents of Lonehill, Dainfern, Strathaven and Kelvin, amongst others.

5 points about EGSA

EGSA is a registered section 21, not-for-profit company. In other words, any additional money collected from our residents is ploughed back into improving security in our area.
The directors are all residents who have volunteered their time and effort, whose sole focus is on fighting crime in our area
The EGSA is dedicated to the safety of all residents. Getting proactive patrolling onto our streets is just the first step.
EGSA has already implemented feedback systems with Fidelity to monitor and improve on services rendered, in line with our service level agreement.
The EGSA was conceived in 2006, formed in 2007 and began pro-active patrolling in April 2008.

Many residents have held back from joining the EGSA for fear that the initiative would fail. This has not, and will not happen. With continued support from the community we can expect to go from strength to strength. If you are already paying for armed response, please consider joining the EGSA.

Incorrect usage of the EGSA name

Security has become a hot topic in our two suburbs, to the benefit of all residents. This is good news, but it has come to the attention of the committee that the EGSA name has been used incorrectly and confusion may have resulted. Although the EGSA is concerned with all aspects of our safety, by definition EGSA has only one nominated security provider, and that security provider is FIDELITY SECURITY SERVICES. The EGSA does not contract to any other security provider.

Please be assured that EGSA will only broadcast to residents from the info@egsa.org.za email address.

Contact EGSA

To find out more about the EGSA, and join up, please go to our website (www.egsa.org.za) or call us:

Fidelity sales and service contact number, dedicated to Greenside and Emmarentia: 072 771 1875

24 hour control centre: 086 11 11 999

Thank you

Our sincere thank you for your support and feedback. By talking to your neighbours and to EGSA you have helped to overcome apathy and misinformation, our biggest obstacles to an optimum security solution for Emmarentia and Greenside.

Please pass this update on to anyone in Emmarentia/Greenside you know who could benefit from it, and urge them to visit the website and get in touch with the EGSA.

Useful contacts

www.egsa.org.za
www.emmarentia.co.za
www.fidelity.co.za/services.html

The EGSA will never share its database with anyone and we hate spam. If you want to opt out of these updates please let us know and your details will be removed.