Date posted: March 2, 2018
Dear Neighbours,Important Update and Statement regarding the Beach
Beach Safety Fundraising
We are most grateful to everyone who has contributed to the Beach Safety fundraising drive. This has, thus far enable us, in collaboration with Komwatch, to fund the placement of two ADT/Fidelity Tactical Response Team members to be deployed at the beach for a two-month period which will end on 8 March.
We do still have some funds remaining from the donations and we will pledge to use this specifically for Beach Safety, as was intended by the donors. We are considering a range of strategies and we will keep you posted in this respect. Although incidents on the beach have persisted, we do believe that the money spent on this initiative was justified, sadly however, we have not been successful in developing the kind of coordinated response we had hoped for, as will be outlined in the joint statement that follows.
We have now received news that ADT/Fidelity have made a fresh team available to us so we will be able to continue this initiative and we will continue to press for better collaboration with SANParks and SAPS.
Beach Walk to the Kakapo Wreck - Sunday 4 March
We would also urge everyone to support a walk to the Kakapo wreck and back, from the Noordhoek parking area, on Sunday 4 March at 06:30 for 7. The walk is being organised by Safe South Hikes and #TBOM Take Back Our Mountains and will be supported by SANPARKS, SAPS, Law Enforcement, Fidelity-ADT and YMA.
Joint Statement
The joint statement is as follows:
For the past two months Chapmans Peak NHW and Kommetjie NHW have attempted to engage with SAPS and SANParks to develop a strategy to curtail the brutal attacks perpetrated on mostly foreign tourists and occasionally domestic tourists on Noordhoek beach.
As a stopgap measure, Fidelity Security Services Tactical Team were contracted to assist in protecting beachgoers. One may reasonably query why attacks still occurred whilst the tactical team were on duty.
The first attack on Kommetjie residents occurred on 10 January 2018. On this day, SANParks had ordered the Fidelity tactical team off the beach until they had arranged permission for the Fidelity Team to be armed whilst patrolling. Despite NHW members specifically requesting whether SANParks would be on the beach patrolling, SANParks refused to comment. An armed robbery occurred that day.
The remaining two attacks on 2 February 2018 and 17 February 2018 occurred whilst the Fidelity Tactical Team were not on the beach. These attacks both occurred shortly before, or around 08:00.
SAPS Fish Hoek were setup as the Incident Command for the Noordhoek beach attacks, with all cases transferred to a single detective to ensure all information was collated. NHW attended weekly meetings with SAPS and SANParks.
At the first meeting, SANParks assured NHW that they would be on the beach patrolling from 07:00 - 19:00 every day. This has not happened, with teams leaving the beach sometimes in the early afternoon, or arriving later in the morning
From the first meetings, it was requested that SAPS institute a member in charge of incident control. This has not happened. The incident which occurred on 17th February was dealt with poorly by law enforcement agencies. The crime scene was not protected by the first law enforcement agency on scene, SANParks, resulting in crucial evidence going missing temporarily, and evidence being contaminated which potentially weakens the case and any chance of a conviction. Despite requests from NHW, no SAPS helicopter was dispatched.
From the outset, NHW have requested that adequate radio communications be setup with SANParks, Fidelity and NHW. Unfortunately, SANParks refused to provide Fidelity or NHW with one of their radios, as the paperwork was too onerous. Therefore NHW provided SANParks with a single radio with messages having to be relayed due to short range of the radios. SANParks frequently did not have the radio charged, or did not answer calls via the radio making communication during patrols very difficult.
SANParks members are frequently reported sitting under a bush for hours at a time, with limited visibility of the Kakapo wreck and the surrounding beach where attacks have taken place. On more than one occasion, Fidelity and NHW tracked persons of interest, stopped potential incidents, and on occasion, SAPS responded to identify individuals. This all occurred whilst SANParks members remained under their observation bush. It has now been learned that the Fidelity Tactical team engaged with two persons of interest who matched the descriptions of wanted individuals for an attack on the beach in November. The individuals were seen approaching five walkers on the beach when Fidelity intervened. This occurred whilst SANPARKS rangers were present in the area, but made no attempt to actively patrol or assist. Unfortunately relevant identikits were not shown to NHW and Fidelity timeously therefore the individuals were not known to be of interest at the time.
The Fidelity Team tracked a number of persons of interest, however SANParks refused to provide information on potential suspects and previously apprehended individuals thereby making the Fidelity team job that more difficult and dangerous. This information has still not been shared with NHW or Fidelity.
NHW met with SANParks management who promised to develop a community plan which has worked well in other areas. Again, this has not been shared with NHW despite requests.
Finally, weekly meetings setup by Fish Hoek SAPS in order to develop weekly strategies to curb these attacks at Noordhoek, and to provide updates on investigations have been poorly attended by both SANParks and SAPS, to the point where the meetings have now been abandoned.
It is clear from our engagement with SAPS and SANParks that currently there is no plan, or willingness, to prevent further attacks on the beach. These attacks are brutal in nature and seemingly designed to maximise harm for very little gain.
Therefore, until there is a sustainable measured engagement with SANParks and SAPS, Noordhoek beach should be considered an extremely dangerous place to visit and it is our advice that no one should go there.
Chapman's Peak and Kommetjie Neighbourhood Watches
This is a truly shocking situation and seriously threatening to all of our safety, let alone to our tourism businesses! We have witnessed the apathy and guarding of the beach from the SANP hut or SAP vehicles in the beach car park. After informing them of the attacks and robberies happening past the 4km far dunes and around the Kakapoa wreck, (which they don’t seem to know), they seldom leave the car park and patrol the beach.
Please confirm if the Noordhoek beach area around the ‘Hoek’ and before the far dunes are safe to visit as we don’t know of any events there and walk it most days.
Much gratitude for all the care, warnings and advice CPNW, we are truly grateful for all your efforts and communication. You make a difference!
Please advise as soon as the situation is under control and the perpetrators are arrested so that we can all enjoy our beautiful beach safely.
Please also let us know if we can assist in any way.
Is there an update to this post above? It is now some 16 months later?…