RAC

At a meeting of representatives of the various road closure suburbs / security villages in Pretoria held on 1 September 2010, it was decided to proceed with the registration of a Section 21 company to be know as Residents Against Crime with its own bank account. Seven members were nominated as the first directors with members being all road closure suburbs / security villages and other safety initiatives in Pretoria.

This document aims to inform you of the history and aims of the initiative and to request you and your community to participate in this initiative.

History

In 2005 the Tshwane Metro Council turned down 13 applications for road closure without providing substantial reasons for declining the applications. The management of the areas attempted to determine what could be done to obtain approval of their road closure applications. Written objections from each of these areas were submitted to the Tshwane Metro Council who were required to respond within 60 days of the receipt of these objections. The Tshwane Metro Council failed to respond. During this period, rumours surfaced that the Tshwane Metro Council planned to instruct all areas that had undertaken closures to remove all closure infrastructure, failing which, the Tshwane Metro Council would have all such structures removed and recover the removal costs from the residents.

A mass meeting was called on 13 February 2007 and was attended by representatives of 25 planned and / or already closed road closure areas /security villages in Pretoria. The management of the Johannesburg Combined Chairpersons Committee (CCC), who had successfully brought a number of court cases against the Johannesburg Metro Council regarding road closures, presented an outline of their organisation’s structure and methodology. The meeting unanimously agreed to create a similar organisation to represent road closures in the Tshwane Metro Council area. As a result the ITM/RAC (Inwoners Teen Misdaad / Residents Against Crime, herein after referred to as RAC) was established the same evening with the support of the 25 areas represented. The details of these events are available on the RAC websites at www.residentsagainstcrime.co.za or www.inwonersteenmisdaad.co.za

Management

The following portfolios were established:

1. Chairperson

2. Director Operations

3. Director Finance

4. Director Communication

5. Director Research and Development

6. Director Administration

Mission

The RAC had as its mission to harness the collective abilities and influence of all legal safety mechanisms to create residential areas where crime is kept in check.

Aims and objectives

1. To be a representative forum (RAC) through discussion, negotiation and litigation promote the constitutional right of safety for all residents:

Objective 1 : To support Lynwood Manor Estate in their Supreme Court hearing against the Tshwane Metro Council.

Objective 2 : To assist with the finalisation of Appeal hearings for other road closure areas within the Tshwane Metro Council.

Objective 3 : To assist with expediting the approval of remaining applications for road closure within the Tshwane Metro Council area.

Objective 4 : To establish a platform for the promotion of alternative safety models.

2. To establish credibility as an authority that demonstrates effectiveness in its ability to reduce crime:

Objective 1 : Through the establishment of a crime statistics data base.

Objective 2 : Through the establishment of a library of source documents.

Objective 3 : Through research on safety issues.

3. To improve the levels of safety and quality of life by effectively harnessing the joint resources, abilities and influence of members:

Objective 1 : By making a positive contribution towards effective sector policing.

Objective 2 : By coordinating safety projects.

Objective 3 : By using RAC’s sphere of influence to promote member interests.

4. To publish information to interested parties through the use of effective media and communication technology:

Objective 1 : By establishing and maintaining a website and e-mail address list.

Objective 2 : Through regular feedback on RAC activities.

Objective 3 : Through interaction with the media.

Objective 4 : By establishing and maintaining interaction with other safety initiatives.

5. To encourage all community safety initiatives in the greater Pretoria area to affiliate with RAC to increase the bargaining power of RAC:

Objective 1 : By recruiting about 9000 households in the various road closure suburbs / security villages in order to cover the initial costs of the first court case and to cover operating costs.

Objective 2 : To collect regular contributions to ensure sustainability of RAC.

Objective 3 : To establish a legal entity with the required management and transparency.

Communication

All meeting minutes, information bulletins, procedures and other information relating to monitoring are published on the website www.residentsagasinstcrime.co.za. During the period when RAC functioned actively, the website received an average of 250 hits per month. The aim is to actively promote and publicise this website in future.

Projects

The RAC acted as a coordinating body and forum for enclosed areas to provide advice and guidance with regard to closure application declined by the Tshwane Metro Council. As these activities had cost implications, contributions were obtained from participating areas. This resulted in the successful completion of the following projects:

1. The appeals of the 13 areas whose applications were initially declined by Tshwane Metro Council were eventually approved and most areas have already closed or are in the process of closing.

2. A financial contribution of R 60,000.00 was made to the Lynwood Manor Estate area that brought and succeeded with an urgent court application to effect closure.

3. The instruction from Tshwane Metro Council to enclosed areas to dismantle closure mechanisms was retracted after coordinated discussions and negotiations between RAC and the Tshwane Metro Council. Also in this case, participating residents made financial contributions and specialist advice was sought and paid for.

4. A considerable number of closed areas or areas that have applied for closure have obtained advice from RAC.

Decision to establish a Section 21 Company

The RAC has now been formally constituted with 7 directors and aims to include all existing road closure areas, security villages and aspirant security villages as members. There are currently 7356 homes in 71 closures in Pretoria, although not all are operating legally. Of the 99 areas identified by Tshwane, 6 have received approval for closure but are not in operation, 23 have implemented legally, 26 are due for re-application, 20 are operating illegally and 24 have submitted applications but have gone inactive. The directors decided to proceed with the immediate establishment of the Section 21 Company and have appointed Streetsafe (Pty) Ltd to undertake the formalities of registering the company, opening a bank account, administering the debit order system and putting a bookkeeping process in place.

Cost of Participation

Security villages that have not contributed to RAC in the past are requested to make a once-off payment of the following amounts:

Villages with fewer than 20 members – R 1,000-00

Villages with between 21 and 50 members – R 3,500-00

Larger villages with more than 51 members – R 5,000-00

In addition, each security village is requested to complete the attached debit order with an amount equivalent to R 10-00 per month per contributing member to enable RAC to meet its objectives.

Advantages of RAC membership

To achieve the aims and objectives of the RAC as established by the initial organisation on 13 February 2007.
To plan collective options and actions for and on behalf of members.
Assistance can be provided to existing and planned security villages to legally secure their areas.
Assistance can be provided to all members with regard to the correct steps and processes for application and re-application.
To provide regular feedback to members with regard to decisions by Tshwane Metro Council that will affect all members.
Collection, reporting and maintaining of crime statistics on behalf of all members.
Liaison with the Tshwane Metro Council.
Continuity for security villages in the Pretoria area.
Assistance to security villages with regard to responsibilities and accountability of security village management.
Maintaining a database of applications and re-application dates to assist members.
Improved bargaining power as a united front with regard to all services required by security villages.
To share knowledge and experience with members.
To take collective action against future risks to the existence of security villages.

Timeframe

The intention is to commence with the monthly contributions by way of a debit order system on 1 December 2010. The once-off amounts are required on 1 November 2010, in particular to assist with the funding of the envisaged Supreme Court hearing against the exorbitant application / re-application fee as well as the long list of unrealistic requirements from the Tshwane Metro Council prior to road closure application approval.

Budget

RAC estimates the cost of the Supreme Court application at R 200,000-00 and the monthly running costs at R 5,000-00. All additional funds received will be ear-marked for future projects.

How can you participate?

Once-off contributions can be made with immediate effect to RAC’s bank account, viz.:

Streetsafe Trust Account (ITM/RAC) ABSA branch 632005, Account No 4072 778 613

Pease stipulate the name of your security villages as the reference on the deposit / electronic funds transfer document.

Your contributions will ensure that RAC achieves its aims and objectives on an ongoing basis.

With thanks,

Ray Lambrecht (GSP) Alan Mengel (Eldo 3 Manor) Kathy Fitzhenry (Constantia Glen Security Village) Hennie Venter (Lynnwood Manor Village) Andre le Roux (Eldo 3 Manor) John Home (Victoria Close) Jan Malan (Streetsafe – Administrator)