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September 2010
Volume 3 Number 7
Prompt reaction nets 4 armed robbery suspects
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ate afternoon on Tuesday 21 September, four armed robbers stormed a hardware store in Pretoria Road and robbed it of various goods at gunpoint. Luckily they had the opportunity to press their panic button and help was dispatched immediately. However, not so lucky was a lady in the shop, who was brutally attacked by the suspects, who hit her with their firearms, and took her vehicle to make their getaway.
CCP
On 28 August 2010 Cloverdene Crystal Precinct (CCP) held a promotional drive at Crystal Gate shopping centre. At this drive, residents were able to purchase a ticket for R10.00, which entitled them to take part in a lucky draw to win an alarm system valued at four thousand rand. These alarm systems were very generously donated to CCP by our management company, Community Monitoring Services (CMS). We would also like to extend our thanks to Crystal Park Butchery for donating a prize of a meat hamper. The draw took place at the end of the promotional drive, and we congratulate the following winners:
CCP
They loaded the stolen goods into that vehicle and took off. Our patrolmen, as well as the CCP Chairman, Amiel, (who was in the vicinity) responded to the scene. Thanks to their rapid response and swift assessment of the situation, they immediately gave chase and it was not long before they had the suspects and stolen vehicle in their sights. With constant communication between the Control Room and those in pursuit, the vehicle was followed to Papawer Street in Northmead, where the suspects
abandoned the vehicle. All four suspects got out of the vehicle and 2 suspects ran off in one direction and the other two in a different direction. The suspects proceeded to jump over walls from property to property in the neighbourhood in an effort to make a getaway. However, our patrolmen refused to give up on their pursuit, resulting in two of the suspects being apprehended and arrested in the veld behind the OK Grocer in Great North Road. Meanwhile other patrolmen undertook a
thorough search of the surrounding area in search of the remaining 2 suspects, which resulted in the other 2 suspects being apprehended, having been found hiding in the garden of a house in Papawer Street. Everything that had been taken from the supermarket was recovered, including the vehicle. We take this opportunity to thank all the Precinct patrolmen for their prompt reaction and their continuous pursuit of the suspects, resulting in the successful apprehension of these criminals.
Eugene Carreo of Richmont St Patrick Matlala of Sentust St Marius Bydefeldt of Eighth Road Nicoleen Voster of Heilbron St Edith Julyan of Eighth Road We really appreciate the support given by everyone who participated and helped to make the day a happy and successful one Winner Nicoleen Voster (Left) being congratulated by Billy Chambers Should you wish more information on the services that CCP provide, please contact Customer Care on 0861 567 267 or alternatively call your own dedicated consultant for your area, Billy Chambers, on 072 987 2364.
PCN 2009
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From the Editor I recently attended the FCP and BNCP AGMs, and whilst it was good to see a few more faces than usual in attendance at these events, I must say I was still extremely disappointed that more members did not venture out in support of their committees. The number of people who turned up at the BCP AGM on Tuesday 21 September was pathetic to say the least. There is so much apathy within the community that I'm beginning to think that no-one really cares. GNCP's AGM is being held on Wednesday 29 September and I sincerely hope that more community members take the time to attend. It is only once a year, which is not a lot to ask. Your committee volunteers work hard every month in an effort to make our suburbs safer, amongst other things, and the least we can do is give them our thanks and support for their tireless efforts on our behalf. One of the things that came to light at these AGMs was the fact that several residents appear to possess extremely pertinent information that had not been shared with any of the committees.
Seriously, you are our eyes and ears out there. We need you to inform us of suspicious “goings on” in your neighbourhood so that these can be investigated and monitored. If you live near an empty house and notice vehicles/people going in and out, please let us know. We are also aware that criminals and drug dealers move into our suburbs and we really need to discourage this. Recently a house in Farrarmere had been identified where it was suspected that drug dealing and prostitution was taking place. The house was monitored and the people 'coming and going' were watched. Once they realised they were under surveillance and we were not going to give up, they moved out of the property. This is what we need to do to rid our suburbs of the criminal element. Please, if you have any information, pass it on to us. We will keep your details in the strictest confidence. We cannot take action unless we know where to look. You can either give this information to your chairperson, or send an email to margaretd@mannys.co.za.
DOES YOUR CAR DOOR REMOTE ALWAYS WORK? We have received the following information that we feel you need to be aware of. This has been tried and tested. When locking your car with a remote, please ENSURE that your hazards flash AND that the doors DO in fact LOCK. A resident was shown recently how a car's remote signal can get blocked, i.e. does not reach the car, when a popular brand name gate remote is pressed close by at the same time. The resident stood ready to lock his car by remote while someone else pressed a gate motor remote. Result – the signal of the car's
ACP
0861 265 267
Contractors, preferably located on the East Rand, are also welcome to submit their company profile. All applicants should submit their CV by Email to henniep@mannys.co.za.
PR EC IN
WS NE
Gate motor technicians Electric fence technicians Alarm installation technicians Alarm fault finding CCTV installation
COM MUNIT CT
Customer Care
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Y
WE ARE EXPANDING
This incident occurred in Clarke Street, Rynfield, where the three suspects were seen running away from a house they had allegedly broken into. The rapid response from Benoni Police Station vehicles immediately netted one of the suspects. Persistence on the part of the police eventually netted the second suspect. (These police members never stopped running, jumping walls and searching neighbouring properties.) These actions resulted in the third suspect being captured in Mathers Street, some distance away from the crime scene. “I really feel that these particular members need to be congratulated on a job well done and most certainly I feel they went above and beyond the call of duty in this instance” says Brandon. Well done to the SAPS members and our precinct patrolmen who participated in these arrests. Your dedication to duty and the safety of our suburbs does not go unnoticed and we thank you for all you do for us.
Technical Support
0861 425 493 Alternatively 083 322 6690 Are you a qualified, SIRA registered, alarm technician? We are currently looking for technicians with experience in the following fields:
In recent months the Rynfield area has experienced a large number of housebreakings, and it feels good to be able to report on these arrests. On Monday 13 September 2010, two white males suspected of housebreaking were caught and arrested in Honiball Street. This is, once again, a great accolade for our Precinct patrolmen. Their vigilance netted these two suspects running away from the alleged crime scene. On further investigation, it was also found that one of these suspects is a drug addict and it is suspected that he could have been involved in various other housebreakings in order to support his habit. At a separate incident, three more suspects were arrested as a result of co-operation between Benoni SAPS members and our Precinct patrolmen. Brandon Scott from Sectors 1 and 2 of the Benoni CPF reported that he personally witnessed this remarkable co-operation between these two parties.
RCP
remote did not reach the vehicle and he was unable to lock his car. If you park your vehicle in a busy shopping centre, and do not ensure that the signal has actually reached your vehicle, you may think that you have locked it, while in reality your doors are unlocked, giving easy access to the criminals. This particular gate remote renders ALL vehicle manufacturers' remotes useless, so take an extra minute or two to double check that your vehicle is actually locked. A big 'Thank You' to our resident for sharing this type of information with us so that we can pass it on to the rest of the community.
Community Control Room numbers
CMS Technical
5 suspects arrested
PRESS
To Advertise in the
Precinct Community News call Brent on 011-578-5668
THE PRECINCT COMMUNITY NEWS Tel : 011-578-5652 Fax : 086 683 7228 Editorial & Crime Statistics Margaret Dalglish margaretd@mannys.co.za Tel : 011-578-5674 Design & Layout Brent van Zyl Brentv@mannys.co.za Tel : 011-578-5668
The Precinct Community News is published by The Joint Precincts, all letters, articles & comments must be emailed/received by the 18th of each month to be featured in that month’s edition. Contributions are submitted at the sender’s risk. The Joint Precincts do not accept responsibility for material lost. The Joint Precincts reserve the right to make changes to any material submitted for publication. All rights reserved. All crime statistics are those logged by the community control room and are used with permission of the Joint Precincts. The views & opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the newspaper. Reproduction without written permission of the Editor is strictly prohibited. To enquire about reproduction of any material contained in this publication please e-mail Brentv@mannys.co.za.
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PCN 2010
Precinct Women’s Support Group
S
i n c e t h e beginning of this y e a r, i t h a s become increasingly apparent that there is an enormous need for additional support to members of our community for various reasons. During 2010 we have witnessed women, children and families suffer as a result of traumatic and violent criminal activity; the current economic climate where families are struggling to feed and clothe themselves and their children; as well as many other unfortunate circumstances. We asked ourselves, “What can we as members of the community do to provide support and assistance to those in need?” A group of women have come together to establish the Precinct Women's Support Group, and while we are still finding our feet, it is clear to us that situations that we have already identified are only the tip of the iceberg, and we are likely to have a mammoth task ahead of us. Wo m e n f r o m v a r i o u s sectors of the Precinct areas have shown a great interest, along with a large number of ladies from Jatniel, all of whom are keen to play a part in easing the burden of those who find themselves struggling to survive. If there are any other women out there who are willing to get involved and give of their time, we would be more than happy to have you join us. If you are interested, please send an email to margaretd@mannys.co.za. Already the ladies from Jatniel are providing a cooked meal, twice a week, to approx 30 children at one of our local schools. A number of families have found themselves out of work temporarily, and been provided
with some basic foods by members of the Group. In order to move forward, a decision was taken to register a non-profit organisation, to enable us to raise funds and seek donations, and thus achieve much much more. We have already identified places within the Joint Precinct area, such as children's homes, old age homes, schools etc, that are in dire need of help and support in one form or another. One of this first things we would like to do is build up a store of food and clothing etc that we can have at the ready on an ongoing basis. We are, therefore, appealing to all members of the community to support this initiative by donating nonperishable foods, children's clothing, children's toys and games etc. Our chaplaincy (trauma support) is often called out to victims of crime, and we have received a request from them for little teddy bears that can be given to small children in need of comfort. From what we understand, a teddy bear gives the child something to hold on to, especially when they have been traumatised and don't understand what is going on. So please, please, we need as many teddies as we can get. Items donated can be dropped off at our offices inside Mannys Timber & Hardware, cnr Great North & Louisa Roads, Brentwood Park, Benoni. Please ask for Margaret or Felicia. We will be holding a Golf Day (please see our Ad) on Monday 1st November 2010 and we need your support by way of either sponsoring a hole, entering a four ball or donating a prize. We need 30 four balls to take part in the Golf Day, so please all you golfers out there, make your booking now and support your community.
FAMILY RUN AND WALK Stroll in support, Walk in memory or Just take part to raise funds and awareness and show you support the CANSA Association in the fight against cancer. Saturday: 2 October, 2010 Race starts at 8.00 am El Ridge Corner – Corner Elizabeth and Ridge Roads, Bartlett, Boksburg CANSA Family Run or Walk is a 2-3km course and open to all ages. Entries cost R20 (Twenty Rand) Pre entries accepted. Enter on the day from 7am For further information call (011) 811 7681 or 082 493 3528
Precinct Women’s Support Group Golf Day Where: ERPM Golf Club Pretoria St, Boksburg North When: Monday, 1 November 2010 Tee off:Starting 11am Format: Betterball Stableford Entry fee: R1000.00 per four ball Caddy: Own account There will be prizes for the first six teams. First prize: Weber braai A raffle will also be held for a meat hamper. Companies are welcome to sponsor a hole where they can advertise their Company for a fee of R1000.00.
Bookings: Joelene Wiggill 082 464 4220
PCN 2010
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· · ·
HEROIN H
eroin is considered one of the most addictive and dangerous drugs in the world. This drug is finding its way into South Africa at an alarming rate and it is clear that Heroin is the most popular choice for drug abuse amongst teenagers. Heroin is a semi synthetic opiate synthesized from morphine.
Psalm of a Heroin addict: Heroin is my shepherd, It will always be wanting He lays me down in a sewage ditch To troubled waters he leads me He destroys my soul He leads me in the footsteps of wickedness, Yes, I go through poverty and will
METHOD OF USE Heroin can be used in four (4) ways, namely: 1. by injecting it 2. by smoking it 3. by snorting it through the nose 4. by inhaling it - "Chase the Dragon" It was found that people who experiment with Heroin will snort it because they are scared to inject it. The inhaling process of Heron takes place by placing it on a piece of tinfoil, heating it and inhaling the fumes (smoke from the oil). This is known as “Chasing the Dragon”. The process of “Chasing the Dragon” is popular amongst teenagers, but the best known and popular method of using Heroin is still by injection. It is a known fact that people who inject drugs are very advanced in their level of dependency. EFFECTS OF HEROIN Heroin is a depressant. As soon as a person uses Heroin he/she will find that he/she reaches a very high level of relaxation and it seems as if the person has gone into a very deep trance or coma. The long-term use of Heroin can lead to very serious decay of the body like serious heart valve regurgitation, brain damage as well as damage to the organs of the body, such as the kidneys, liver and the lungs. Because it is such a very strong depressant and muscle relaxant it has happened that during overdosing the heart
fear all calamity Because you are with me – Your needle and pellet comforts me You pillage the table of my family You make my head empty My cup runs over with grief Heroin addiction will follow me to the ends of my life And I will live in the house of doom until the length of day.
Short- and Long-Term Effects of Heroin Use Short-Term Effects
Long-Term Effects
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"Rush"
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Depressed respiration
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behind the knees in the groin area the neck
Heroin is an unpredictable drug; therefore users overdose regularly. It is known that a certain hospital in Pretoria treats between 10 - 25 cases of overdosing on Heroin weekly. Most of these cases are teenagers under the age of 18. The misuse of Heroin is holding the largest threat for teenagers in South Africa. It is slowly but surely becoming the drug of choice amongst most teenagers, because it is: · cheap · physically addictive · easily obtainable PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF HEROIN · physical and psychological dependency · serious physical deterioration · weight loss / appetite loss · unable to concentrate · less physical activities · drowsy · lung problems · constipation · continuous infections · impotence / decrease in sex drive
Addiction
PHYSICAL EVIDENCE OF HEROIN · tinfoil that is burnt black · Clouded mental · funnels, made out of tinfoil, that look like functioning · Collapsed veins straws · Nausea and vomiting · Bacterial infections · injection needles · Suppression of pain · Abscesses · burnt teaspoons · Spontaneous abortion · Infection of heart lining and valves · needle marks : on arms o · Arthritis and other rheumatologic problems between toes o behind knees o inject in the same place for very long as the valves were affected and the heart just veins collapse and become hard. When this stops beating. in the groin area o happens, they start injecting themselves in It was also found the in cases where Heroin unusual places, such as: addicts inject themselves in the normal For more information, visit places, such as the arms, they could not www.drugaware.co.za. · the feet (between the toes) Infectious diseases, for example, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B and C
No perfect people allowed... ·
R.E.A.C.H PROVIDES:·
Hope in the storm of addiction
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Support to families with addicted loved · ones
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12 step Celebrate Recovery program for recovery from Hurts, Hang-ups and Habits (addictions). The program is effective for those in addiction as well as the family.
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Seminars to empower families and supporters of addicted loved ones. Addiction is a family disease, all need to recover from the devastating affects of · addiction. Preferred Diversion Program of the Courts. At the mercy and discretion of the · courts the magistrate may divert a
convicted offender to REACH for 1 year instead of sending them to prison. Diversions program for schools. When a student is faced with suspension or expulsion because of substance abuse, the school principle may at their discretion refer the offender to complete a year program at REACH and thereby afford the offender an opportunity to be rehabilitated and avoid expulsion. Support, re-integration for those who have completed a long term rehabilitation program. Drug awareness presentations for drug prevention in schools and churches
Interventions. To inspire an addicted · person to enter into a long term FREE Celebrate Recovery 12 Step Recovery Program. Or in more serious cases, to assist the addicted person into a long term in-patient rehabilitation centre. ·
AIM: ·
To support families with a loved one in addiction through the recovery process. ·
If your child or spouse is abusing substances ·
Compassionately confront their use and set boundaries around their using behavior. Stay calm.
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Do not make threats that you will not or cannot follow through on.
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DO NOT shield the addict from the consequences of their using behavior. (Referred to as “enabling.”)
Be supportive and hopeful about change. Recovery is much more effective when family members are involved and have realistic, yet optimistic, expectations about the process. Become educated about addiction and recovery. You are not alone. Help is available. Do not succumb to isolation and shame, get help and support for yourself and your loved one. Recovery is possible for those who reach for it.
TAKE ACTION NOW! Contact: ? ANDREW ? BEV -
083 488 521 082 836 6532
REACH/NPA celebrate success REACH (Substance abuse support Group) in association with The National Prosecuting Authority held a special service on Sunday 19 September 2010 at the Word and Life Church in Boksburg, which was packed to capacity. The purpose of this event was to celebrate the success achieved through the Diversion Programme.
PCN 2010 Our AGM was held on Wednesday 8 September and FCP we were pleased to see that attendance was higher than last year. The existing committee members were reelected, and we are happy to announce that we have an additional five new committee members to assist with what needs to be done in our suburb. Our main objective at the moment is obtaining closure mandates from members of the community. At the time of the AGM we had received mandates from 32% of the residents, although we need mandates from 67% - a mammoth task. In an effort to obtain further mandates, we held a special Awareness Campaign in Cambridge Street on Sunday 12 September. This proved to be rather successful, and many of our residents arrived to find out more about our proposed closure.
Page 5 We were joined by members of SAPS and Metro, and were thrilled when one of the fire trucks arrived, which delighted a number of inquisitive children. Remax provided a jumping castle for the kids, which went down very well. We ended the day with a braai. Altogether, it was a very successful event. As far as our closure is concerned, we still need to collect a large number of mandates. To this end we have included our mandate form below, with the payment schedule on the reverse. We appeal to any resident who has not yet received or completed a mandate to please cut this out, fill it in and drop it off in the box at the Control Room in Sheridan Centre. If you need more information regarding the closure, please make contact with our closure consultant, Janine Carstensen on 082-889-2236
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PCN 2010
Make your Park beautiful challenge H
ave you driven down Tugela Road or Umfulosi Street recently? What a beautiful sight, thanks to residents surrounding this park area. The project to transform this park began in May last year, when surrounding residents decided get together and give it a facelift – what a rewarding project. Three residents in particular, Chico Sclanders, Errol Treacher and Craig Peters gave up their weekends to knock the park into shape. The old grass had to be removed before the grass could be mowed properly and edges trimmed, not to mention the litter that had been building up. In fact it took ten trailer loads before they could see what they had to work with. A letter was circulated to all residents surrounding the park, asking them if they would be willing to get involved and support a
project to improve and maintain the area. A positive response of 70% of the residents was received, whereafter a meeting of the residents was called to discuss the way forward. A letter was sent to Ekurhuleni, requesting the formation of a partnership between them and the residents, resulting in a meeting with Walter Maluleke, chief horticulturist with Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM). EMM supplied park furniture and some play equipment, which were installed by the residents. EMM also provided 20 indigenous trees, again planted by the residents. These residents continue to make a contribution towards the cost of a weekly garden service as well as taking personal responsibility for the trees.
There was one more thing they wanted to add to the park, and that was a slide for the kids. Pick 'n Pay Farrarmere were approached and were only too willing to oblige and sponsored its installation. The park is known by the residents as Tugela and Umfolosi People's Park (TUPP). “This park has generated a new sense of friendliness and harmony in the community, where residents look out for each other and support each other” said resident Chico Sclanders.
“Residents are kept informed of the happenings and development in an around the park, and everybody is afforded input into the layout and decisions made regarding the park”, Chico added. “We are proud of our achievements and hope to motivate other people to do more to
improve their surroundings – if we can do this anybody can” added Peters. This park area is used frequently by the residents. In fact just the other week one of the families held their son's birthday party there, to everyone's enjoyment. All they ask of anyone using this park is to leave it in the same condition they found it. There are many similar park areas in Farrarmere, and our challenge to all our residents is to adopt the park in your vicinity and help make Farrarmere beautiful once more and a suburb to be proud of. If you need help getting started, please send an email to margaretd@mannys.co.za and we will head you in the right direction. Come on, everyone, get involved.
Fred Simoncelli Poetry Competition We are extremely disappointed at the lack of entries for this year's poetry competition compared to previous years. We have, therefore, extended the closing date until Friday 15 October 2010. If there are no additional entries at that time, we will award the prizes to those entries we have received. A date for the prize-giving will be set after the closing date of the competition, and all entrants will be notified of the details. The theme this year is “2010”, with the stipulation being that it should NOT be about crime. All those who have already submitted an entry can rest assured that their poem will be included. Those who haven't, now's your final chance. Entries can be handed in at our Control Room, marked “Poetry Competition”; faxed to 0866 8 3 - 7 2 2 8 o r e m a i l e d t o margaretd@mannys.co.za. Please ensure that your name, address and contact number are included with your entry so that we can get in touch with you.
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PCN 2010 Dr Barbara Wade BA (Welfare Science) BSc (Physio) Hons Hons BSc (Research Psychology) Registered Social Worker Reg no. 102 3651 SAASWIPP 700 938
The Olive Branch Trauma Centre
16 Sixth Ave Northmead 1511 P.O.Box 131275 Northmead 1511 Cell 072-122-4766 Tel: 011-849-7473
Helping children cope with grief
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oss of someone we love is intensely painful. It can feel as if nothing will return to normal and nothing will bring comfort. Some people believe that children do not grieve as intensely as adults. This is not true. Children may look as if they don't care but that is a misperception. Children have limited language skills, so they often cannot say how they feel. Children are also genetically programmed to be physically active so they keep playing and running around because they can't stop. To adults, who associate grief with sitting still and crying, it may look as if the child is adjusting well. Children may be able to show how they feel in a picture or play music about it. They also show grief in behaviour. School problems, difficulty sleeping or eating, getting angry or being very worried about anything that is lost, such as a toy, may be ways in which the child expresses loss. One of the hard things about grief is that there is no more opportunity for sharing with someone you love and treasure. There is no more chance to say “Look Mommy,” “Come and see”, “Look what I did.” Knowing you can't share with someone special anymore is very sad. Some adults and children try to cut off from loss. This leaves a feeling of numbness and deadness. The feeling of nothingness is an unpleasant numbness. Children cut their feelings off when there is no one to comfort them. But it suffocates the child's other feelings too. A grieving child may start all kinds of searching behaviour. The searching for a loved one may be transferred to material objects. The loss of a toy may seem like a tragedy. Children who have lost one parent may be terrified of losing the other. The child may seem scared of going to school. School phobias (fears) are not fears about school at all, but fear of separation from loved ones. Children may worry that the remaining parent will die, get kidnapped or leave. Some children cry on the inside but not on the outside. They look as if they are coping well, but need help to express their grief.Some children show their fear by clinging to others, sometimes so much that they drive others away. Understanding why loss of a person is so painful. Understanding the psychology of attachment. Attachment behaviour simply means the natural human drive to attach deeply to another human being, so as to form a very significant, emotional bond. This is totally healthy and natural, not pathological or regressive. In fact, whether we like it or not, we are genetically programmed to need and form primary attachments – attachments that are deeply significant to us, and which give our life meaning and richness. Deep attachments of this kind are common amongst family members, intimate partners and parents and children. It is a mistake to think that attachment behaviour is simply something belonging to childhood: It is not. It continues throughout life. Primary attachments to more than a few individuals would be impossible, as we have only limited reserves of emotional energy. That is how we are made. You can really like a lot of people and indeed be very fond of them, but you will have primary attachment bonds to just a few of them. So how do you know if you have a primary attachment with someone or not? When you are 'attached' to someone, as opposed to just very fond of him or her, there are always intense emotions involved. One main feature of a primary attachment is that, in periods apart, you really miss your loved one, to the extent that it is painful at times. You want to seek them out and re-establish the bond. This differentiates good friends, whom you really like and people who are very significant in your life. If the attachment figure leaves or dies, the pain is terrible. There is no escaping it. Whereas if a friend who was not a primary attachment figure dies, you can feel very sad, but you are unlikely to be in floods of tears at the funeral and in agony for months afterwards because it feels as if your whole world has been blown apart. Your sadness with the loss of a friend as opposed to an attachment figure, can of course be painful, but it will not move into an unbearable emotional pain. For a child, when his primary attachment bond to someone is strong, secure and unthreatened, then being attached can be the source of the greatest joy. It provides essential meaning to his world, brings colour, light, and inner wealth and abundance to his life. It gives him a real psychological strength and sustains his hope when he is in the most challenging of external circumstances. It can make him feel fundamentally safe in the world. A life lived with
strong attachment bonds will enable him to perceive the world as fascinating. Its beauty will not only be seen, but also deeply experienced. A love of the person transferred to a love of life. For a child with secure, deeply loving attachments, even if he loses this sense of an awesome beautiful world from time to time, he will reconnect with it before very long. A strong, secure attachment bond also provides the child with a secure base in the world from which he will want to get out there and explore, to get a hold on life and live it. Why is this? What is this attachment relationship doing to the child's body and brain? We will look at that now. Understanding the biochemistry of love, in order to understand the biochemistry of loss. According to Sunderland, primary attachments are rooted in certain brain and body chemistries. When an attachment bond between two people is deeply loving, then at times of intimacy – shared delightful play states, when comforting distress, or moments of real emotional connection – the brain's emotion chemicals and the body's hormones, which are released in both people, feel exquisite. When flowing strongly, it is these chemicals and hormones that make a child or adult feel warm and tender, deeply content and that all is well in their world. This is far more than just a state of calm that you might get from looking at the sea, for example. It is a far richer response and results in feeling expansive, potent and very loved. These powerful natural chemicals, released in lovely interactions with a deeply loved person, are called oxytocin and opioids. Research has shown that both animals and humans prefer to spend more time with those in whose presence they have consistently experienced oxytocin and opioids. These chemicals generate a sense of acceptance, nurturance, love and warmth. Picture an adult and child who get along fine, but are not particularly close. With them, the mood- and behaviour-altering chemicals described above are not strongly activated in their brains and bodies. As a result, their interactions are indeed relatively shallow, and without emotional intensity. In other words, it is the oxytocin and opioids, when strongly activated, that give the powerful, positive emotional intensity to an interaction – that delicious warm quality that makes you glow with the loveliest feelings. The following adultchild interactions strongly activate the release of oxytocin and opioids: · Tenderly holding a child · Comforting their distress (particularly with physical holding) · Helping them regulate their feelings and bodily arousal · Rough-and-tumble play · Listening to a child's problem and pain · Entering into their imaginative play, sitting on the floor with them and showing real interest, particularly if this involves touch. If a child has a parent with whom he consistently enjoys these interactions, then even when the parent is not there, opioids will be activated just by thinking of that parent. We know from animal research that socially satisfied mammals (animals and humans) do not want to fight. 'Socially satisfied' means that the body-mind is strongly activating oxytocin and opioids on a regular basis. So children who have lots of loving interactions, delightful playful interactions with their parents and the consistent comforting of distress states, tend to be far less aggressive than a child who has not been treated in this way. What happens to the brain chemistry of children who lose someone they love deeply? We simply feel normal and comfortable when we are in the midst of friendly company and that same feeling becomes warmer when we are among those we love deeply. When this feeling of normalcy is suddenly disrupted by the undesired loss or the unexpected death of a loved one, we find ourselves plunged into one of the deepest and most troubling emotional pains of which we, as social creatures are. When a child loses someone he loved deeply, the wonderful hormones and brain chemicals described above are no longer dominant in his brain and other very painful chemicals can take over. This results in acute psychological pain for a child or an adult. Hence the child who loved someone deeply will suffer terribly if
that person dies or leaves. Separation distress triggers incredibly strong stress hormones which the child cannot possibly manage all alone. The separation distress circuit in the brain is connected to one of the pain systems in the brain. In other words, the chemistries of pain in the brain are actually linked to the chemistries of separation distress, hence the grieving child or adult is in psychological pain. It is all too common for adults not to appreciate this. You can't just say to a toddler who is crying for his mother because she has just left the room, 'look, try not to feel this.' Yet many people give that sort of message to both the grieving child and the infant screaming for his mother. Many adults underestimate the power of grief and separation distress. In addition, the natural brain opioids released when a child deeply loves a parent are actually addictive. So losing a loved one is as painful and as powerful as coming off heroin (Heroin activates the opioids system in our brain or, looked at vice versa, opioids mimic the action of heroin in our brains). We are all familiar with films of people coming off such drugs – the agony, the torment. The same emotions are experienced by the child who has lost a loved one. So if children are not to be psychologically scarred by this torment, they need help with their feelings. Parent child relations which are weak and the child who does not need to grieve. Some children have parents that have not played with them or built strong bonds with them. The relationship may be peaceful but distant and cold. The parent may not be violent or cruel – there is just no closeness or deep love. A child who loves a parent like this may not experience the withdrawal of the chemicals we mentioned that create an “addiction” to the loved person. When a parent, for example, is not good at touch, cuddles, physical play and listening to the child, comforting their distress and so forth, the emotional connections between the parent and child will be weaker. This child will not have experienced the calmness, and intensity of being loved. The child won't know how much he is missing out on. Such a child may simply not need to grieve intensely we cannot assume he is denying his grief. It is by no means automatic that a child forms an attachment to a parent. Attachment forms when there is real comfort, shared delight, laughter or interactive play. How to help the child · Stay with the child's feelings, no matter how painful and don't give advice or platitudes (like we all lose special people – don't say that) · Help the child understand death is permanent (Under fives often don't realise that). · Be aware the child may behave more childishly than before the death. · Be aware the child may develop all kinds of fears · Be alert to signs of depression · Depressed mood most of the day · Diminished interest or pleasure · Significant gain or loss of weight Inability to sleep or sleeping too much · Bodily agitation or slowing down physically Fatigue · Feeling of worthlessness or guilt · Inability to think or concentrate · Thoughts of death or suicide. · No real interest or curiosity in anything · No capacity to be comforted · Negative feelings and thoughts about self and/or others, life, the future. · Let the child know it is normal to be upset. Grieving children need to hear the following messages in age appropriate language. The more you have loved, the more it will hurt when you lose the person you love. · Some children never know the pain of loss until they are grown-ups. It is hard for a child to know it. Sometimes it means that a child is wiser about the pain of loss than some adults who have not yet suffered it. Sometimes this can make it difficult for a child to get other adults and other children to really understand properly about the pain. But someone somewhere will. And you will know when you have found a person who really can understand. · It is so sad that you have to know loss so early in your life. Lots of people do not have to face it until they are adults. · It is brave to dare to love, because it hurts so much to lose that love. But when you dare to love, it can make life an amazing place to be. · When you lose someone you have deeply loved and they are not ever going to come back, there is always a shock and your life is changed forever. It is changed but not destroyed, although at first it may feel as though it is. · When you lose someone you love, it is perfectly natural to feel anger towards them – 'How dare you leave me!' – just as much as sadness. You are not bad for feeling this. Anger is part of grief. · Mourning means letting yourself dare to feel
pain about the person who died or left. · Mourning means still giving the person who died or left you a very central place in your mind for a while. But this is so that you can separate from them at your pace, rather than having their end done to you (which is what it feels like when someone dies or walks out). Mourning helps you to let go in your time, rather than in their time. · Mourning is absolutely vital if you are going to get over the person you have lost, so you can go on with your life and live it well. · Mourning is too difficult to do on your own. It is a bit like what happens if you have cut your knee very badly and it hurts horribly; it is too lonely to be on our own then. Being very, very sad and daring to really cry hard about someone you loved is a powerful a thing to do on your own. It is a bit like trying to tackle a fire or a flood or feeling all on your own. So do your mourning with a grown-up you really trust, and really, like, and who is very kind. · Because the pain of losing someone you love hurts so much, some children and some grown-ups try not to feel it at all – but that causes all sorts of problems. It can be like giving yourself an anaesthetic to numb the pain. You do not feel much grief, but you do not feel much joy either. For some people, numbing their grief means they carry around a kind of heavy feeling all the time. This can feel miserable. By not mourning, you become stuck, like you are locked in your past. It is strange, but in fact the only way to move out of your pain is to move into it. · Although you may be in a huge amount of pain, it can be reassuring to know that it is in fact a stage in a process and that the pain will go away one day. · Do not try to rush the mourning process. Do it in your own time when you have found the right person to grieve with. Important psychological messages for children to hear when they have lost someone they love · Losing someone you love is always very painful. · When you lose someone you love, the world can lose all its warmth and colour, and feel like a cold bleak winter. But with time the warmth and colour will return. · When you lose someone you love, for a while it can make you hate your life, but after a while it gets easier and the sun starts to come out again. · When you have lost someone you love, it is very natural to want to cry and cry. · It is very brave to cry on the outside as well as the inside. · When you have lost someone you love, there are always kind people who can comfort you. Sometimes it is just a question of finding one. · Children are often really clever at working out who is kind and who is not; who is good and understanding very painful sadness and who is not. · When you lose someone you love, it can be a terrible shock. Because you are in shock you need to be very kind and gentle to yourself and other people need to be kind and gentle to you too. · When you lose someone you love, you can feel very different inside. · The more we have had the courage to love, the more we will hurt if we lose the person we love. So if you are really hurting now, it means you had the courage to really love someone. · Memories of the person who is gone or dead are like treasure that no one can take away. Shakespeare wrote “Give sorrow words: the grief that does not speak, whispers the o'er fraught heart and bids it break.” (Shakespeare, Macbeth).Shakespeare knew only too well that if grief is left unspoken, all bottled up inside, it can cause long-lasting psychological pain, resulting in all manner of emotional or behavioural problems. Indeed, research shows that much mental illness is caused by the repression or suppression of grief. However, with the right help, the child who suffers tragic loss does not need to face mental ill-health. There is no compelling reason to believe that the death of a parent itself, no matter how distressing at the time, is a risk factor for vulnerability to depression in later life. What really matters is how the death is handled and the parenting and care in the ensuing period'. If the child is able to speak and grieve about his loss with someone who can stay with his pain without trying to persuade him out of it, then he can move forward in life from a position of emotional health. This brief article is there to assist adult caregivers to support the child through this process.
Reference: this article is based on Sunderland (2005).Helping children with loss. Speechmark. United Kingdom. COMPILED BY DR B L WADE OLIVE BRANCH TRAUMA CENTRE 16 – SIXTH AVENUE NORTHMEAD BENONI.
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Spring is here - It’s time to clean up! B
onaero Park is looking good this year. Firstly, due to a very successful clean-up of our Bird Park earlier this month, we picked up tons of garbage, which consisted of plastic, tins, glass and paper etc. Some of our residents seem to think that garden and building rubble can be disposed of in our park, which is definitely not the case. The BPCP intend to beautify our park and preserve it for future residents. If you see anyone dumping rubbish at the park, or indeed anywhere in Bonaero Park, please take note of the vehicle registration number and report it to any BPCP committee member, or to Ward 23 Councilor Andre du Plessis for action to be taken. The community must thank all the volunteers who attended the annual clean-up on Saturday 4 September, with a special 'thank you' to Rene de Klein and his family for their continued support in supplying drinks, gloves and refuse bags to all the volunteers, and to Geo Transmissions, a company that also help us every year with labour and transport for the bags of rubbish that are collected. A word of encouragement for you, the reader – everyone enjoys seeing the wonderful bird life
BPCP
in the lakes. Please help us preserve the environment. Road repairs in Extension 3 and Bonaero Park Proper have been completed, and the painting of white lines and stop streets signs is in progress. Extensions 1 and 2 are next in line for repair and resurfacing. The rehabilitation of the ACSA Blaauw Pan Spruit is very late, but is being carried out st now. Work started on 1 September and should be completed within two months. The project will include seeding the banks, and reeds and various indigenous vegetation will also be planted. This work will be carried out in conjunction with ACSA and our environmental team consisting of Barry Vorster and Dr Pete van Eeden. SECURITY WARNING There has been a large increase in dog poisonings in our area, which are inevitably followed within days by house robberies and/or vehicle thefts. Be aware of your surroundings, get to know your neighbours and help each other to fight crime. Be sure to report any suspicious activities to our Control Room immediately. W Manning, Chairman
ON A LIGHTER NOTE Why do supermarkets make the sick people walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions, while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front? Why do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a DIET COKE? Why do banks leave vault doors open and then chain the pens to the counters? Why do we leave cars worth thousands of rands in our driveways and put our useless junk in the garage? Ever wonder why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens our skin? Why can't women put on mascara with their mouth closed? Why don't you ever see the headline 'Psychic Wins Lottery'? Why is 'abbreviated' such a long word? Why is that doctors call what they do 'practice'?
Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavouring and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons? Why is the man who invests all your money called a 'broker'? Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called 'rush hour'? Why isn't there mouse-flavoured cat food. Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes? Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections? You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff? Why don't sheep shrink when it rains? Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together? If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?
We are extremely concerned with the number of hijackings taking place in the Northmead/Airfield area, with 4 incidents reported already this month, not to mention the number of vehicles being stolen. What is of even greater concern is the number of reports describing suspects as being 'young white males'. We can only draw our own conclusions that many of these incidents being perpetrated by our youth are drug related. The number of drug addicts within our suburbs is increasing on a daily basis. We know that parents do not want to believe that their child does drugs, but the sad fact is, there are too many who are. The problem arises when they start turning to crime in order to feed their habit. Sooner or later they WILL be caught and will have to suffer the consequences, not to mention the trauma you as parents will be subjected to. We need to put a stop to this now, before it's too late. We have already identified many of our drug takers and it is only a matter of time before they find themselves under arrest.
GNCP
If you do know that your child has a drug problem and need help to do something about it, please make contact with your Chairman, Brandon Scott. Vehicles being stolen from shopping centre parking areas remains a problem, as well as laptops being stolen out of motor vehicles. We have repeatedly asked people not to leave their laptops in their vehicles while it is unattended, but residents continue to leave items in plain sight in their cars. This makes it difficult to discourage criminals. Residents also continue to leave laptops in close proximity to a window in their homes, resulting in the laptop being stolen through the window – the criminals don't even need to break in. We urge everyone to be a bit more security conscious when it comes to your valuable personal items. GNCP committee is still looking for a Treasurer. There is not a lot of work involved – mainly just checking over the financial accounts provided to us. Anyone interested should contact our chairman, Brandon Scott, for further information.
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The Paws Page Paws for people
Therapy Dogs
Top Dog of the Month -
Alfie
A
lfie is owned and handled by Sarah van der Meulen, and this is what she has to say about him: Alfie joined Top Dogs soon after coming to live with us nearly two years ago, when his previous owners emigrated to Australia and felt that the long quarantine restrictions would not be fair on Alfie. Alfie was born in Port
Alfred, hence his name, and is an 8 year old fawn pug, full of character. He loves his visits, particularly connected with children, so visits to schools and day care centres are his favourites! Alfie just takes all things in his stride and is a very sweet boy, nothing bothers him. He is a real pacifist, will never fight however much my other pugs try. He gets chilblains on his ears in winter (I've never met that in a dog before!) and he has bad arthritis from running too much on hard roads and he suffers a lot with it in cold weather. His food is very very important to him and he shouts while his meals are being prepared! If you have a friendly dog like Alfie and want to spread “smiles for miles”, read about our upcoming ASSESSMENTS below:
TOP DOGS Therapy Dogs Assessments If you think your dog is suited for the work we do, and you would like to become a handler-dog team, come along to our next assessment. Handlers without dogs are also welcome.
Paws for People visit Uncle Tim's H
i everyone, Well this year the weather was kind and the sun shone brightly. A early start to the day was required and at 8.00am we met up with other handlers to erect our stall for the Paws for People. Lots of helping hands, handlers, Elaine, Ilse, Carla, Lauren, Tanja all easily put up the “pop up” gazebo, --- no men around to help. At 9.00am we were ready for the public, well actually even before we had finished we had lots of admirers wanting to meet our dogs. Juno the Great Dane was a HUGE attraction, having been “rescued” by his new owner – Tanja, who already has two therapy dogs. This boy was lucky to have someone with lots of experience to help him put his past behind, and successfully has him as a therapy dog. Zulu the golden Labrador just takes everything that comes his way by giving out love, Keeta the black chow, also a “rescue” dog had a wonderful time allowing people to hug. Owner Elaine explained to lots of people the myth behind the chow”s black tongue – it is that God dropped a tin of black paint and the chow licked it up, (if anyone knows differently, we would love to hear what you have to say). Hunter the Golden Retriever is an “old” hand at meeting young and old and has no problem sitting still and being loved. Should you not be
comfortable around “big', then we had Zac a “sausage” dog on hand to restore one's confidence. All dogs and handlers had a wonderful time with young and old alike, we had a colouring competition for the children, (had to ban adults from the colouring in competition), a 8 week old “golden” caused lots of “ah's” and “oh please can we have one”. The puppy is owned by our unit leader Zena Butler also of Ruffitwood Kennels, and certainly showed an excellent temperament when being handled by so many. Parents enjoyed being able to “overload” their young ones into the dog crate and collect them later, (no we didn't have any “left over” children). At the end of a busy day, it was wonderful to be able to inform and create a huge awareness among the public, and we had an amazing response from people wanting to join PAWS for PEOPLE, and we have already had some new people come along to see what we do at visits. At present we have such a demand to have PAWS visit, and it is extremely hard to have to put visits on “hold” until we can do so. Having more handler and dog teams is very very welcome and we look forward to bringing so much joy, smiles and happiness into so many people's lives.
DATE: Sunday 10 October 2010-09-09 TIME: 12.30 for 1.00pm VENUE: “Paws Abilities” Behaviour & Learning Centre, Fifth Rd, Cloverdene. It is ESSENTIAL to book a place, as spaces will be limited. You can do this by contacting Angie Thornton: Tel/Fax :- 011 425 4075 Cell: 083 7155 344 / 0717855521 email act@icon.co.za or topdogs@iafrica.com
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Page12 AGM was held on Tuesday 14 and reasonably well BNCP September attended compared to previous years, although still not as many residents as we would like to see in attendance. Residents of Northvilla expressed concern at the recent spate of crime in that area, and steps will be taken within the next few weeks to enhance security. We are pleased to announce that we have been able to recruit some new committee members for the plot areas and we hope, with their help, to be able to focus on the
W
e are astounded at the lack of attendance at our scheduled AGM on Tuesday 21 September, with less than 5% of our membership attending – what a disappointment. So much for supporting your community! It makes us wonder why we bother taking an interest in our community when the majority of our residents don't seem to care. Just wait until crime hits you, then you'll want to know what we're going to do about it! We all need to work together if we want to have any hope of bringing down crime in our suburbs. We have had 5 armed house robberies this month – the highest this year. From reports received from other Precincts,
BCP
specific problems facing those residents. Crime during July and August reached a peak, at 33 incidents in total for each of these months. September has seen a slight decline in the number of incidents reported. At one of the armed robberies during September, the criminals purported to be there to check the resident's TV licence. Please be extremely cautious of allowing anyone into your home, even if they are genuine – many of these criminals are extremely polite and very believable. Rather be safe than sorry - phone the Control Room for assistance.
crime is escalating everywhere. We need to work as a community and look out for one another. We challenge you all to take an interest in what is going on around you. Be a part of the community. Don't just leave it to a few dedicated residents – get involved. We need you to be our eyes and ears within our community. If you see anything that looks suspicious, no matter how small, contact the Control Room. Everyone needs to play an active part in reducing crime by remaining alert and being a bit more security conscious as we go about our daily lives.
Ward Council Report Back Meeting Ward Councillors Benno Robinson and Andre du Plessis will be holding a “feedback” meeting for residents in the following areas: Rynfield Agricultural Holdings Benoni Small Farms Jatniel Benoni North Norton Home Estates Brentwood Park Goedeburg Northvilla
Help us to help you. Together we CAN make a difference.
This meeting will take place:
CMS TECHNICAL Remote Panic Buttons Do you have a remote panic button linked to your alarm system? If you have, do you have it handy when you approach your driveway? A remote panic button has a range of between 30m and 40m from your alarm panel. Where do you keep your remote panic button when you're in your home or sitting in your garden? Does it hang on the wall along with your other keys, or lying on a table? You've gone to all the trouble of putting in an alarm system and
obtaining remote panic buttons – for what purpose? It's a panic button and if you don't carry it with you when you're at home, then what's the point of having it at all. If you get surprised by hijackers at your driveway or armed robbers who have forced their way into your home, you will not have time to reach your panic button unless you have it with you.
If you have linked your existing alarm system to CMS Control Room, i.e. we have only installed our radio transmitter and did not install the actual alarm system, we need to bring the following to your attention. You will have signed an agreement with CMS purely for the monitoring of your alarm system and reaction to alarm activations. As the alarm system itself was not installed by CMS, we cannot be held responsible for any operational faults or problems you may experience with your alarm system. It is up to
you to maintain your alarm system in good working order and test it on a regular basis. CMS can, however, on payment of a call-out fee, arrange to send a technician to investigate where the problem lies and if possible repair it. If there is a more serious problem with your system, then a quotation will be provided to you. CMS Technical Support can be contacted on 0861 265 267.
AT:
7.00 PM
ON:
6 OCTOBER 2010
AT:
BRENTWOOD LAERSKOOL VRYBURG STREET BRENTWOOD
The purpose of the meeting is to provide residents with feedback on all council matters as well as give residents the opportunity to raise any new issues of concern.
Batch emails Alarm Maintenance Our batch email system seems to be proving very successful. This method of electronic communication with our members is being used to pass on vital information to our members, e.g. a specific vehicle to keep a look-out for, details of “scams” being conducted in your neighbourhood etc. Unfortunately we cannot put details of suspicious vehicles on our posters, as criminals can also read and would soon change the vehicle they're using. We'd rather know which vehicles to be on the look
out for. When there are 'bogus' individuals operating in the area, which happens on a regular basis, if we are able to inform our residents, then hopefully someone will contact us and we can have these criminals apprehended. If you are not already receiving emails and wish to be included in this initiative, please s e n d a n e m a i l t o margaretd@mannys.co.za. Please also provide your name and address, so that we can include you in the correct area.
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We are please to confirm that Abbeydale have commenced work to upgrade Innes Road. This should go a long way towards alleviating the problems experienced during the rainy season last year. It is hoped that this work will be completed before the end of the year. We know it has taken a while to get started – due to red tape, but at least we're finally getting there. Thank you, Abbeydale. This is very much appreciated.
th
This just goes to show what can be achieved if the community gets involved. We are extremely concerned to note that hijackings and armed robberies have increased dramatically everywhere. We urge all our residents to be more aware of vehicles driving behind you. Check for any unknown vehicles parked in your street before you stop at your driveway. If in doubt, drive around the block, and if the same vehicle is still behind you, phone the Control Room. When driving, please keep your vehicle's doors locked and keep alert when you stop at traffic lights, particularly in
e have already experienced a cash in transit heist this month – a bit earlier than expected. At the Boksburg North CPF meeting we were asked to remind everyone to take precautions when drawing cash from the bank at all times, but particularly between now and the end of the year. Please see the notice from the SAPS. E T PA R K
PBP
On the 7 of this month, a 9 year old Park girl disappeared, IPCP Impala although she was later located in Benoni, unharmed. What amazed us the most was the willingness of residents in Impala Park and surrounding areas to get involved and help look for the missing child. We take this opportunity to thank everyone who took part in the search, from residents to CPF members who came out in force, to our patrolmen. We are just glad that this story had a happy ending.
Boksburg North CPF Some good news. At our recent CPF meeting, it was announced that each sector will have 2 SAPS vehicles patrolling the area and each vehicle will be marked with the vehicle's cell phone number. However, please note that in the event of a crime, you still need to contact 10111 to obtain an IR reference number. Do you have an outstanding case where you have not received any feedback regarding its status? If you do, please make contact with Lt Col Kgomo, Head of Detectives at Boksburg North SAPS, so that he can follow it up.
Bikers Against Crime Boksburg North CPF has arranged another Bikers Against Crime event, which will take place on Saturday 23 October 2010. All interested bikers should start checking in from 7am at the parking area at Nandos in East Rand Mall. Please note all bikers must wear helmets. No 4 wheelers (quad bikes) will be allowed and no alcohol is permitted. We will be setting of promptly at 8.30 am. Our last event was extremely successful, with an excellent turnout. We are hoping this event will be bigger and better and would really welcome anyone who wishes to take part in making this a resounding success. We take this opportunity to thank EMPD and SAPS in advance for their continued support and assistance with the organisation of this event and ensuring that things run smoothly. We really look forward to seeing you all there on the 23rd.
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Page14
Benoni CPF makes history
T
he Chairman of the Benoni CPF, 14 members of the Executive Committee and 169 CPF members took part in a special inauguration ceremony held at the Benoni Magistrate's Court on Monday 13 September 2010. This is the first ceremony of its kind in South Africa, and a moment to be proud of. The ceremony was chaired by Chief Prosecutor Johan Venter and the CPF members were also addressed by Brig S Venter (SAPS), Supt T Nkhumeleni (EMPD) and Mr M Essop, President of the BCCI, who all gave words of encouragement. The ceremony was also attended by 4 of our Ward Councillors, as well as our CAN
(Crime Air Network) partners, CMS, PHS Cops, ADT and Chubb. CPF Chair, Reza Patel, was first to be sworn in by Magistrate Horne. Reza then presided over the swearing in of members of the Executive Committee, followed by other CPF members, who all took a pledge to, amongst others, “fight crime and criminals within the parameters as dictated by the legislation within the context that they were volunteers and an accredited member of the Benoni Community Police Forum”.
Roadside Assistance Just a reminder that we can now offer our members Roadside Assistance anywhere within any of the Precinct areas. The purpose of this service is to assist members/clients who have broken down at the side of the road with such problems as a jump start, flat tyre, running out of petrol and keys locked in the vehicle. If the vehicle cannot be repaired at the side of the road, a tow truck will be arranged at the normal insurance cost or client cost, where the vehicle will be taken to a place of safety or
the client's home. Should the incident take place outside normal business hours, CMS has storage facilities consisting of four code 54 cages where vehicles can be locked up, should there be nowhere else to take them. The storage yard is monitored via CCTV cameras from our control room 24/7. How do you make use of this service? All you have to do is phone the Control room on 0861 425 493 and ask for Roadside Assistance.
Beware of Con Artist We have received reports of a Con Artist operating in the Western Extension area. From information received, he knocks on the door and tells the resident that he has locked his wallet at a particular premises where he was doing some work for them. He says that he knows 'so and so' at whatever address and mentions them by name. He then says that he has run out of petrol and could you help him by giving him R100. One particular resident knew the people he mentioned and gave him money. Needless to say when the resident mentioned this to the people concerned, they had no knowledge of him. According to another resident, he said he had
bought the house 3 doors down and locked his keys in the house. He then asked if he could use the phone to call someone to bring the keys. He made the call, then said that the person could not bring the keys to him and that he would have to drive to Pretoria to collect them. He then asked if they would give him R100 for petrol so that he could fetch the keys. A description of this Con Artist is that he is approx 30 years old, sandy brown hair and a bokkie beard. Should you be approached by anyone trying to obtain money from you, please contact the Control Room on 0861 425 493 immediately, so that we can apprehend this character as soon as possible.
2 robbery suspects each receive 10 year sentence O
n the afternoon of 16 January this year, a young boy was walking along Great North Road, talking on his cellphone, when he felt something touch him on the back of his neck. When he turned around he discovered it was a knife. The suspect told him to hand over his cellphone, which he did. There were two suspects involved, and while the boy tried to resist, the suspect armed with a knife tried to stab him and the young boy managed to run away. There was also an older man a short distance away who was shouting instructions to the suspects that they should also take the boy's
money. Thankfully, the boy spotted a police vehicle and stopped them. He took them to the scene and pointed out the suspects, where all three were arrested. The boy's cellphone was found in their possession. The arrest was made by D/Const J Sogcwayi. Two of the suspects, Menzi Magagula and Thabang Ledwaba were both found guilty and each sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Well done D/Const Sogcwayi. It's not often we get to hear what happens after a suspect has been arrested, but it is good to know that justice was served.
ANDRE & SON MOTORS Cnr. CATALINA/MUSTANG Str, RHODESFIELD, KEMPTON PARK
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PCN 2010
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Dedicated to serving the needs of the community
Anyone, Anywhere, Any time, in His service
CHAPLAIN
WHY GOD?
I asked God why I wasn't rich. He showed me a man with the wealth of a thousand kings, who was lonely, and had no one to share it with. I asked God why I wasn't beautiful. He showed me a woman more beautiful than any other, who was ugly because of her vanity. I asked God why He had allowed me to become old. He showed me a boy of 16, who lay dead at the scene of a car accident. I asked God why I didn't have a bigger house. He showed me a family of six, who had just been evicted from their tiny shack, and were forced to live on the street. I asked God why I had to work. He showed me a man, who couldn't find a decent job, because he'd never learned to read. I asked God why I wasn't more popular. He showed me a socialite with a thousand friends, who all left the moment the money and parties were no longer there. I asked God why I wasn't smarter. He showed me a natural born genius serving life in prison for making ill use of his knowledge. I asked God why He put up with a thankless sinner like me. He showed me the Bible. He showed me His Son who took my place at the judgment. I knew then how much He loved me. What's eating you today? Are your problems weighing heavy on your heart? Know, then, that you are loved. JOHN 15 : 13. Greater love has no one than this, that He lay down His life for His friends. You are my friends, Jesus said.
Contact the Precinct Chaplaincy on 0861 425 493
Your Community Precinct committee details ABP Bert Booysens - 082-778-6848 Michael Somers Vine - 083-378-2579 Danny Thompson - 083-555-0157 Christos Gerasis - 082-650-8926 Andre Joubert - 082-921-2665 Philip Nixon - 082-443-3215 Brent Mahoney - 082-319-7108 Pat Loots - 082-827-5599
ACP Kevin Froneman - Chairperson 083-630-5251 Tony Winterscale - 084-657-2650 Larry Green - 083-628-1758 Sheila Fitchett - 083 408 5788 Paula Groenewald - 082 746 3378 Jaqui Scott - 082 827 9778
BASS Stan Boss - 082-879-9988 Charles Naude - 083-792-0421 Ollie Olwage - 082-464-3959 Gareth Horton - 082-326-9865 Paul Raley - 082-827-1050 Kevin Mearn - 082-337-0074 Peter Botha - 082-874-4739
BCP Pieter Henning - Chairperson 083-626-3563 Johan Maree - 082-458-5365 Sandra Henning - 082-697-1223 Nico Erasmus Snr - 082-928-7805 Nico Erasmus Jnr - 082-556-3655 Tom Bezuidenhout Willie Ludik Lani vd Walt - 083-417-7242 Raymond Knott - 082-619-0124 Wendy Clausen - 082-804-3887
BNCP Charles Schreiber - Chairperson 084-850-0131 Robert Brons - 082-774-9997 Jean Nel - 083-399-2441 Toni Damatta - 083-298-9196 Brian Sparkes - 072-431-1841 Zach Lombard - 071-674-1600 Mervyn Manning - 082 455 4555 Ian Mutch - 076 117 9796 Christopher Fitchet - 083 675 4330
BPCP Warwick Manning - 082-853-1251 -Chairperson Pieter van Der Merwe 083-677-2002 Alex Galvao - 083-454-9029 Barry Vorster - 083-300-5682 Volker Baufeldt - 082-781-8229 N. Potgieter S. van der Merwe L. Wa Lesego - 084 555 0707 G. Holtzhausen - 078-459-7909
Soula Foord - Vice Chair Mary Goby - Secretary
BWCP Herman Heunis 082 - 742-9089 Rob Osner 082-553-4726 Errol Cunningham 072-954-7719 Gavin Ross 082-894-3518 Edgar Glass 083-229-3795 Neville Campbell 082-450-2671
CCP Amiel Maritz - 082-453-8333 Phillip Knoetze - 072-529-7053 Meiring Julyan - 083-440-1045 Antoinette Botha - 073-188-4501 Pertunia Nonkonyana - 083-437-7593
FCP Clive Patterson - Chairperson 082-555-0292 Hans Timp - 082-935-6786 Rene Bosch - 082-564-3277 Paul Kirchmann - 083-251-4645 Mercia Goodchild - 083-650-0690 Matt Benic - 072-182-6161 Wayne du Plessis - 079-891-8921 Geoff Woodman - 082-900-4210 Jeanne Woodman Vanessa Taylor - 082 053 6147 Dave Reading Peter Hannah - 082 447 7929 Tumi Moji - 082 411 2197 Mary Andalaft - 082 413 7740
APHA Gary Furno - Chairperson 082-651-5914 Peter Bailey - 082 650 0052 Lorna Heinz - 082 456 1089 Martin Wescott - 082 449 6709
GNCP Brandon Scott - Chairperson 082-558-4129 Goeff Ridyard - 083-292-0701 Margaret Boyle - 082-346-4542 Des Boyle - 082-346-4542 Barbara Wade - 072 122 4766 Glen Orrit - 082 673 1752 E T PA R K
PBP Ludwig Oellerman 083-463-0999 Destiny Elske 084-508-7183 Dave Heathcote 082-450-3437 Heidi Joubert - 082-820-6126 Japie van Vuuren 083-445-3649 Searen Sadapal 082-462-2755 Kobus Gouws 082-434-1361
RCP Diane Den Teuling - 082-222-2282 Robert Dommerholt - 083-251-5354 Graham Wrensch - 084-548-1612
LAKEWEST
IPCP Hillary Coke - Chairperson 083-362-9406 Craig Bennetts - 082-411-2590 Dixon Pillay - 074-200-2222 Andre Crick
Bevan Davis - Chairperson 083-272-7637 Michael Shneier - 083-637-4483 Jan Viljoen - 072-606-6036 Adam Ahmed - 083-321-9590 Cedric & Cheryl Welsh - 082-331-9051 Glynis Holdsworth - 082-901-2813
PCN 2010
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Emergency Warning Triangle is Compulsory Metro police instruct motorists to carry reflective triangles
New carbon tax on vehicles st
With effect of 1 September, 2010, South African motorists are be levied with a Carbon tax. The bad news is that the consumer will be absorbing the costs. In effect, the tax will be charged on all new cars. Buyers will pay R75 for each g/km of C0² emissions above a threshold of 120g/km, the lowest threshold in the world. So this new tax burden amounts to about R1,6-billion a year, in respect of new cars. · To put that in real terms, it will theoretically add: · R525 to a Yaris T1 1.0 3-dr MY 08 -- (C0² emission is 127, so you calculate the cost in terms of however many grams over 120 x R75). · R3 675 to a Corolla 1.8 Advanced MY09 (C0² emission is 169). · R5 250 to a Mercedes Benz B200 Turbo MPV MY08 ( C0² emission is 190). To calculate the cost on another vehicle go to: http://naamsa.co.za/ecelabels The tax is ostensibly being introduced to offset carbon emissions and encourage road-users to buy smaller, more fuelefficient vehicles.
All well and good, but the knock-on effect may be quite different, as consumers resist buying news cars. And our fuel quality hardly meets international standards, as it is -- local low sulphur diesel contains 50 parts per million (0.005% sulphur), but in Europe even 10 parts per million is not considered clean. Locally produced petrol is also emission-unfriendly, sitting at Euro 3 standard, while modern fuel and emission efficient engines are rated to use Euro 4, 5 or 6 standard petrols, preventing them from being supplied to South Africa. So how are we achieving a green objective by slapping a one-off tax on motorists? Clean-up economics makes us credible in the eyes of the international community -as the Kyoto Protocol expires, South Africa will host a conference, probably in Durban, that may reach an international agreement that will replace the Kyoto protocol. That would be a huge diplomatic feather in the South African government's cap. After all, we held the world summit on sustainable development in 2002.
Reported
crime stats We often receive calls from residents after reading the crime stats listed in our newspaper, the main question being “why is Farrarmere so high?” Firstly the stats published are only those that are reported to our Control Room by our members. Farrarmere's stats will, more than likely, always be higher than anywhere else, for the simple reason that we have almost three times the amount of members in that
suburb who report crime to us. If you look at the stats from that perspective, Farrarmere is not really as bad as it looks. When you consider that there are more that 3500 homes, then it equates to an average of about 10% per month. One should always remember that not all crime is reported to our Control Room and the real crime stats are obviously going to be much higher.
Crime Statistics
vehicles registered after July 1, 2007, must carry at least one emergency warning triangle sign in terms of Regulation 214 (2) (a) of the National Road Traffic Act. Motorists without a triangle in their car could be fined R500, he said. The only vehicles excluded from this regulation were ambulances, cars registered before July 1, 2006, motorcycles, motor tricycles and motor quadricycles. Minnaar said goods vehicles, minibuses and buses first registered before July 1, 2007, will not be allowed on a public road without at least one emergency triangle sign. A reflective emergency warning triangle sign "Prior to July 1, 2007, only goods vehicles for motorists is now a compulsory article in such as trucks, buses and minibuses were cars, the Johannesburg metro police said required to carry the sign, but now it applies to recently. everybody due to the changed legislation for JMPD spokesman Wayne Minnaar said all safety reasons," said Minnaar.
Just a Reminder of what your Precinct is all about WHAT DOES YOUR PATROL VEHICLE DO FOR YOU? o o o o o o o o o o
Patrols in your area 24 hours a day Reacts to your alarm Escorting members safely to their homes. Finding lost cats, dogs and children. Attend to domestic violence from an observation point of view – to prevent assault / murder Assist with breakdowns e.g. flat tyre, keys locked in car, push start, etc. Be your eyes and ears while patrolling in the streets. Analyses crime in the area. Monitors criminals' modus operandi The vehicle is tracked by a fleet management system. OTHER SERVICES:
Did you know we have a free Paramedic Service? Did you know we have a Rape Crisis Centre? Did you know we have our own Trauma Intervention Unit as well as a professional Trauma Counsellor? Did you know we have an Anti Dog Poisoning Unit? Did you know we have Roadside Assistance and Towing Service? All this achieved by your committee – putting you first. It is your responsibility to protect yourselves and your family, but to do so it is imperative that you get the best, and the best is what you own and control, and when you control you will control the level of service by standing together. ALARM MONITORING Alarm monitoring and response at a reduced rate to Members, negotiated by your committee. Contracts with alarm monitoring and response based on one month's notice. NO LONG TERM CONTRACTS WITH YOUR ALARM MONITORING. WE DARE YOU TO COMPARE! A small price to pay to have a unified voice; a voice of pride; a voice of hope; a voice that takes no nonsense when the community's rights are violated.
Up to 17 September 2010