A safer and crime-free suburb is what this community forum wants to achieve and they believe the CCTV cameras installed in the area, are one step moving into achieving that.
Little Falls and Struben’s Valley Community Forum (Lifco) with the help of some businesses running in the suburbs, recently installed CCTV cameras at the main entrances in Struben’s Valley and Little Falls. Chairperson for Lifco, Robert Wilkins, said they were glad that they managed to install the cameras. He highlighted that, technically speaking, both suburbs were fully closed and covered with cameras that he believes will help in fighting crime.
He explained that one of the functions that these cameras will oversee, is to record all vehicle number plates that enter the suburbs. “The cameras are monitored 24 hours a day,” he added.
Wilkins said the cameras will also assist in identifying all stolen and suspicious vehicles, including those wanted by the police. “Once we receive this information from security companies and the police, it will be entered into the system and flagged.” He mentioned that this will make it easy for the operator to identify the vehicles, should they access both suburbs. Wilkins continued to state that they hope domestic worker muggings and other crimes that occurred in their suburbs, will be a thing of the past.
He said photographs of suspicious individuals will also be given to the control room. “We have a loudhailer in place and the person in the control room will be in a position to talk to any suspicious person.”
The cameras will also help in addressing the speeding problem that residents were facing. “There are static cameras that will be set to record all the number plates of any vehicle exceeding the speed limit.”
Though they are happy with the kick off and installation of the cameras, Wilkins said they are still in desperate need of contributions from community members. “There is money needed to ensure that the cameras are monitored at all times, if each household makes a minimum monthly contribution of R50, we can easily run the project smoothly and also install more cameras.”
With their latest project being security related, Wilkins explained that Lifco is a forum which will continually strive to improve the area by trying to build a neighbourhood with world-class advantages.
He said their aim is to create a neighborhood that is secure, drug free, has world-class recreational facilities, promises continued improvement of Little Falls and Struben’s Valley and ultimately, reduces and eventually, eradicates criminal activities in the two suburbs for good.
Details: info@littlestrubens.co.za, www.littlestrubens.co.za
