CPNW Needs Local Security Support – Burglar Bars
Date posted: April 8, 2016
Dear Neighbours
CPNW is working hard to develop a secure neighbourhood watch control room at the Noordhoek Community Centre. We are looking for a LOCAL supplier and installer of INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH BURGLAR BARS for a number of windows.
We’re hoping there’s an expert out there amongst us who is willing to work with us!
If you’re that person, or you know someone we can contact, please email crime@cpnw.org.za.
Thanks!
The CPNW Committee
Fire Training Exercise – Sunday, 10 April – 9-11am
Date posted: April 8, 2016
Dear Neighbours
A practice training exercise will be held this Sunday in the Chapmans Peak area between 9 and 11 am.
With this in mind, please do not panic if you see a large number of people in firefighting garb running around with hoses, and traffic monitors flagging vehicles to slow down as they pass. It is just a drill.
DATE: Sunday, 10th April TIME: 09:00 – 11:00
If you have not yet become involved in the Firewise training programme, and would like to know more, you can email firewise@cpnw.co.za.
Thanks!
Chapman’s Peak Volunteer Fire Unit
Invitation to Ladies: Safety Awareness Talk, 31st March, 10am
Date posted: March 30, 2016
SPONSORED BY: FISH HOEK COMMUNITY POLICE FORUM
INVITATION TO ALL LADIES.
Interactive Talk – “Safety Awareness”
Speaker: Mr Gunn Store (Safety & Security Consultant ).
The talk will cover a wide range of personal safety awareness issues.
The talk is free of charge – we encourage all ladies (young & old) to make an effort to attend!
Thursday 31st March 2016
Fish Hoek Beach
Outside The Galley restaurant
10h00
Should you require any more information please contact me. You are welcome to invite any of your lady friends and family.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Louise Fouche
Fish Hoek Community Police Forum
Schools Representative
Cell: 072 574 6682
CPNW Newsletter, March 2016
Date posted: March 24, 2016
Dear Neighbours
Please accept my apologies for the lack of a newsletter in February, even in a leap year it just seemed too short for me!
Fortunately it was a very quiet month, crime-wise with only one report of one (confirmed) vehicle and possibly two others that had their tyres punctured in Village Lane on the 13th.
March has been rather more eventful; a shed in the garden of a home in Mountain Rd was burgled, with three mountain bikes, some clothing items, a switchboard and some telephones stolen. This seems to have involved several intrusions onto the property prior to the actual theft, when it appears some preparatory work was done. This is something we have been hearing about frequently of late, with many robberies, including home invasions and smash-and-grabs being preceded by actions such as the cutting of fences and the disabling of security equipment prior to the final action. So please take care to check the perimeters of your properties regularly and to have a high index of suspicion when cameras or other outdoor surveillance equipment seem to have suddenly developed problems.
A house in Willow Rd, that was unoccupied at the time, had a window broken with a rock on 12 March, but the intruders seem to have fled without taking anything after the alarm went off and ADT as well as reaction team responders quickly arrived on the scene. This was also a first test for our new “K9” capability (see below), and although no one was caught one of our recently trained tracker-dogs immediately located the escape route.
We had two arrests in the area; one on 12 March when ADT was called to a property in Oak Ave, when someone working on the property was caught stealing tools, whilst in a more bizarre incident, a naked man carrying a knife was apprehended by ADT and arrested after being spotted in several properties in the Katzenellenbogen area. He was apparently on the run from an incident in Masiphumelele.
On a more positive note, we were finally given the lease for the old “Standby Quarters” on Avondrust Circle (between the Municipal Building and the planned restaurant) with permission to use it as a Neighbourhood Watch Control Centre and as a Community Centre. We are hugely grateful to Patrick Wright for his dogged persistence in securing the lease after a process that has taken over a year to finalise! Our first step was to invite representatives of all the NW’s and community groups in Noordhoek to join us in planning how we will develop and use the site and under Patrick’s able leadership work is already under way. The first step will be to make the building safe and habitable and to set up the control room with longer term plans to establish a community centre as well as to develop and utilise the considerable outdoor space. We are very excited about the prospects for this building as a place we can all share for a range of community activities and we see it as another great way of bringing our community together! Of course, to get it into the shape we would like is going to take considerable work and some funding, towards which we have already allocated R20 000, so please be ready to help out with various renovations (if you have particular skill you could offer – do let us know by emailing us at NCC@cpnw.org.za ) and we will also need to do some additional fundraising.
We are also pleased to report that our Chapman’s Peak Volunteer Fire Unit (CPVFU) is now well-established, and with the support of Enviro Wildfire Services a number of training sessions were held for residents and a first fire drill was successfully run. CPVFU have received funding support to the tune of R20 000 to purchase essential equipment for a local response and we have pledged a further R15 000 to purchase a container to store the equipment, which will be located at our new Community Centre. They will be holding further training sessions and drills in the coming months and everyone is encouraged to join these and so continue to build our ability as a community to deal with fires in the future. Email Firewise@cpnw.org.za for further information.
On the subject of funds, the latter two paragraphs should serve to illustrate how all our funding goes directly to ensuring our safety. We are grateful to all those who contribute as part of their ADT payments and especially to the few, non-ADT members who have set up standing debit orders for the small monthly contribution!
We are grateful to Gavin Goldblatt, who has extensive experience and training in working with tracker dogs, for volunteering to train interested dogs and owners in our area. This ongoing initiative has already added another formidable weapon to our crime response capacity, as in the past our response teams have, on several occasions, been evaded by criminals who have “gone to ground” in the dense bush around our area. The presence of tracker dogs will make this impossible and, as importantly, will send out another very powerful message that this is a “high-risk” area for those with criminal intent! 
Finally, we must acknowledge that the horrific recent murders of teenage girls in Tokai and Khayelitsha, as well as the turbulent state of our country’s politics, have rocked our sense of safety and of connection with broader community. We have noted this in the number of anxious enquiries we have received and in calls for us to adopt the newest technologies, such as Cell 114 and other Apps, as if these will be the panacea we are looking for. We are constantly reviewing the options available but we have invested a great deal of time and energy into what we have established and we are hesitant to simply jump for the next option, particularly as we have seen how quickly any new idea becomes redundant as the innovations move forward.
Our policy has been to establish a strong backbone of communications systems which include our Website and Facebook page, the Radio Network and the WhatsApp Groups as well as the broader reach provided by the Noordhoek Community Forum. Our view is that we are all only as safe as our neighbours – knowing the people in our streets by name will already make us much safer than any high wall or big dog ever will. We believe that by connecting people we facilitate the spread of information as well as the response capacity in an emergency and that by being connected we create a sense of safety and belonging, which is vital to our resilience in the face of trauma. It is amazing how good it feels when we know we are looking out for each other!
So, once again we encourage everyone to GET CONNECTED! Use WhatApp or any other medium that connect you to your immediate neighbours and elect at least one of them to keep you connected to CPNW. Set up a group chat. Spread news positively (including this news, especially the tracker dogs – it travels far!) and build the sense of community. Hold a street braai, clean the road, do something together – let’s claim every foot of this neighbourhood, together! Investing in our own community is the best way of growing the positive in these worrying times – it begins at home. We don’t care how you do it. Just do.
Wishing you a safe month!
John and the CPNW Committee
CPNW Fire Drill 11Mar16 – Feedback and Important Information
Date posted: March 15, 2016
Dear Chapman’s Peak Residents
We’re pleased to say that after holding our first fire drill last Friday, we are another step closer to establishing the Chapman’s Peak Volunteer Fire Unit. Thanks to all the volunteers who showed up, and for those who could not make it, we will have a re-run of the drill in April. The purpose of the drill was to become familiar with the equipment and also how to operate within an Incident Command Structure.
Naturally the safety of our volunteers and residents is our top priority, and so it’s important to note the ‘house rules’ by which we can do this.
In the event of an actual fire, we will deploy our volunteers and equipment – with the purpose of containing the fire and preventing it from spreading while the formal Fire Services are on their way. Once they arrive we will either stand down or operate alongside them at their discretion. We encourage volunteers to wear their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and attend regular fire drills so that they are suitably equipped.
An important note for residents – should there be a fire, please do not rush to the fire scene as this hinders the access of the volunteers and formal services. The biggest hindrance to contain a fire is residents and spectators who mean well, but block access. You can expect to have some volunteers directing traffic. Please note that we will not allow anyone who is not trained and who does not wear Personal Protective Equipment to rush into a fire scene. This is also valid for any fire in any of our surrounding communities.
And for our volunteers — please note that there is a central point where you must sign in before you are deployed to a specific team and task. Should we ever be called on to assist San Michelle, or any other area with a fire the same will apply – we report to the operations point and deploy as needed within their structure.
If this all sounds a bit formal, there is a real need to prevent people from running wild when panic sets in, and to prevent injury to all concerned. Safety first.
We are encouraged through our collaboration with the rest of the Noordhoek community to set up these units and will combine our resources and efforts when needed. There are more Fire Drills planned for April and we will also slot into those hosted by Volunteers in San Michelle, De Goede Hoop and Danieldale on invitation.
Should you be inspired to become part of the Chapman’s Peak Volunteer Fire Unit – please let us know! You can email us at Firewise@cpnw.org.za
Finally, a word of thanks to our training and equipment partners, Enviro Wildfire Services (EWS), who continue to provide us with expert support
Firewise Training Exercise – this Friday 17:00-19:00
Date posted: March 8, 2016
Dear Neighbours
As you are aware, our CPNW Firewise Committee had planned a training exercise 3 weeks ago for those residents who had trained with Enviro Wildfire Services. As luck would have it, we were rained out, and so we have rescheduled this practice session.
DATE: Friday 11 March TIME: 17:00 – 19:00
A follow-on practice training exercise will now be held this Friday in the Chapmans Peak area between 17h00 and 19h00. With this in mind, please do not panic if you see a large number of people in firefighting garb running around with hoses. It is just a drill. Similarly, those involved will be using channel 14 on the neighbourhood watch radio network, and we ask you not to interfere.
If you have not yet become involved in the Firewise training programme, and would like to know more, you can email firewise@cpnw.co.za.
Thanks!
CPNW Firewise Committee
NOORDHOEK COMMUNITY CENTRE NEWS, March 2016
Date posted: March 7, 2016
NOORDHOEK COMMUNITY CENTRE NEWS
March, 2016
At last! Noordhoek Community Centre will become a reality. Chapman’s Peak Neighbourhood Watch recently signed a 10-year lease with the City for the building known as the “old standby quarters” on Avondrust Circle. It’s in a dilapidated state right now, but with a committed community, it can be a place for all manner of events, clubs, gardens – there are so many ideas.
Last week, representatives from all the stakeholder community organizations met to discuss the way forward. The first project will be to make the building safe and useable as a headquarters for the combined Noordhoek neighbourhood watches and ADT. The CPNW sub-committee, Firewise, will also locate their headquarters and emergency equipment on the premises.
This is a time for celebration. Last year in March, we fought terrible odds against the mountain fire, but it served to bring this community closer than ever before. We’re all looking forward to working together again – this time to build a place where we can laugh together!
There will be many opportunities to help over the coming months, so if you are interested in using your skills to help with the renovations, please send us an email so we can add your name to our list of supporters.
Email to: NCC@CPNW.org.za
Firewise Training Exercise – this Friday 17h00-19h00
Date posted: February 18, 2016
Dear Neighbours
As you are aware, our CPNW Firewise Committee was set up last year and we are pleased to say that progress is being made. In December, 3 training days were held with Enviro Wildfire Services, allowing around 60 valley residents to receive basic veld fire training.
A follow-on practice training exercise will now be held this Friday in the Chapmans Peak area between 17h00 and 19h00. With this in mind, please do not panic if you see a large number of people in firefighting garb running around with hoses. It is just a drill. Similarly, those involved will be using channel 14 on the neighbourhood watch radio network, and we ask you not to interfere.
If you have not yet become involved in the Firewise training programme, and would like to know more, you can email firewise@cpnw.co.za.
Thanks, and have a great weekend!
CPNW Firewise Committee
CPNW Newsletter, January 2016
Date posted: February 5, 2016
Dear Neighbours
New Year’s greetings to everyone!
We can report two incidents in the last month. The first of these took place in the early hours of the New Year, when five intruders broke into a house in Monkey Valley and stole a number of items. They were spotted whilst making their escape but unfortunately not apprehended. Committee members have since had a very positive meeting with Management at Monkey Valley, who are in the process of upgrading their security measures and we look forward to a closer collaboration in the future.
The second incident took place on the evening of Friday 22 January when a suspicious vehicle was spotted by an alert NW member in Willow Rd. Two men were spotted leaving the vehicle and entering the dune area near the beach. A search ensued but they were not spotted. A number of signs suggested the vehicle was stolen and SAPS were notified. After examining the vehicle they left the area. In the meantime another report was received of a vehicle stolen from the Beach parking lot and it is assumed this was the work on one of the suspects spotted earlier. A phone in this vehicle was reportedly traced to the Blue Route Mall but we have not, thus far, received any further information on whether the vehicle was recovered. NW members and ADT continued to monitor the first vehicle and the alarm was raised when it was seen on the move. It was pursued and stopped on Noordhoek Main Rd close to the vet and the suspect narrowly avoided being apprehended. A large search ensued and the suspect again escaped after he was seen on Silvermine Rd later that night. The vehicle was finally taken away by SAPS and was indeed discovered to have been stolen. Although CPRT members were extremely rueful at the fact that two vehicle were stolen and there were so many near misses, we can be sure that the excellent community response will have again sent a strong message about the risks of committing this kind of crime in our area and we are hopeful that for a while at least, any further such attempts will be deterred. Many thanks to all who got involved!!
The other major events that everyone is no doubt highly aware of have been the fires in surrounding areas. We are very proud to have supported the development of a Fire Prevention and Response team in our area – thank you to everyone who has become involved! This is something that local authorities, at a meeting after the large Fishoek Fire, called on all NW’s to do. More comprehensive fire response plans are being developed and we have been promised further communication in this regard.
It would seem that there are multiple causes for the fires, with the hot and windy weather being key but arson, for a range of reasons, is clearly a factor. We thus urge everyone to keep a sharp eye out for any individuals acting suspiciously in areas that are at risk of burning and to make careful observations for a possible witness report (such as clothing, shoes, height etc), or even take photographs as there have been many rumours of possible arsonists there have been almost no helpful reports. It should also be noted that in some cases arsonists have used time-delay incendiary devices, so it may only be in retrospect that one links suspicious activity to a fire. Authorities have also made a plea that people take care to stay out of the way of emergency services when responding, or simply watching a fire and they have stressed that, although exciting to watch at close quarters, the activity of the helicopters, both when drawing and when dropping water can be extremely dangerous. We of course also urge everyone to ensure that your areas have a good firebreak and that fuel loads are kept to a minimum. Please report any sign of fire to the Fire Control Centre at: 021-590-1900.
Great news is that (after over a year of waiting) we have just signed a 10-year lease with the City on the old “standby quarters” (the last building on Avondrust opposite the Common) which we hope to develop as a NW Control Centre and a Community Hall. Our first step will be to work with all the Community Groups in Noordhoek to establish a representative management committee and then there will be lots of work to do in fixing it up but we have no doubt it is going to be a wonderful asset for us all. So please get ready to pitch in and help! Wishing you a safe February!
The CPNW Committee.
CPNW NEWSLETTER, DECEMBER 2015
Date posted: January 1, 2016
Dear Neighbours
Festive Greetings!
Thank you to everyone who came to our AGM! The turnout was excellent and our sense was that it was a useful meeting and additionally served as a pleasant get together and opportunity to get to know more of our neighbours. The minutes will be posted shortly on the website, together with the slideshow, for those who were unable to be there.
Regretfully, since trumpeting our successes in keeping crime at very low levels for a second year in succession, we have been hit by a rather concerning surge in incidents, involving night time intruders, primarily from the beach, metal theft and daytime thefts.
In terms of night-time intrusions, these have taken place in Ratelklip Close and Willow Road, where houses were broken into and items were stolen, as well as at building sites in Disa Road and Protea Road where building equipment was taken. Additionally there were repeated attempts in Willow Road, as well as one in Lindum Close. These have mostly been characterised by the same modus operandi and with the help of an expert tracker who lives in our area we were able to follow the tracks right down the beach to the Dunes. Members of the CPRT also responded to one of the incidents with a quad bike to search the beach but without success. We do have a response planned should there be any further such incidents so please be sure to alert ADT and the radio network in the event of any night-time intruders.
Significant thefts of metal items (which probably required a vehicle to remove them) took place in Beach Road and Avondrustvlei Farm.
On 19 November during the day there was a break-in at Monkey valley, and 13 December a young man with a backpack was seen mingling with guests at a Bonsai Display before a cell phone was stolen and the same individual had been seen earlier at Avondrustvlei Farm before items disappeared there as well.
Details of all these incidents can be found on the website.
On a happier note we are pleased to announce that our Firewise subcommittee has been very active in improving our preparedness for future fires. They have managed to get important equipment donated and we will be looking at the purchase of a mobile pump in the near future. A number of residents also attended training sessions with Enviro Wildfire Services. We are also in the process of developing emergency response plans for fires and various other disasters, although this has turned out to be a rather slow process because of the need to consult extensively with various authorities to be sure that our plans are legal and fit with what the various services need from us. A key issue raised by the subcommittee has been the state of fire hydrants in the area. A number are faulty and need servicing, which is the responsibility of the City Water Services Department and we have been in contact with them and will monitor this until it is done, but as alarming has been the discovery that some residents have seen fit to garden, or even pave over hydrants! We trust this was done in ignorance or by the previous resident and that current residents will display good citizenship by undoing the damage!! We are sure that, after this year’s fire, there cannot be anyone in our area who would take such a matter lightly.
Although the last two weeks have been much quieter, we would ask everyone to stay vigilant during the holiday period as the high flow of traffic does make it easier for intruders to move around and given the recent pattern we can expect further attempts.
On behalf CPNW we would like to thank everyone involved in making this such a wonderful neighbourhood and to wish you all a great 2016!
The CPNW Committee