Theewaterskloof |Bredasdorp | Napier
Year 4 • Tuesday 29 July 2014 | Tel. 028 214 1294
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Ruiters stroom na Bredasdorp vir Tip of Africa Ruiters en hul perde is die afgelope naweek (Vrydag 25 Julie tot Saterdag 26 Julie) vir die derde agtereenvolgende jaar van oraloor hier aan die suidpunt van die vasteland verwelkom vir die Tip of Africa-uithourit. Dit is ’n perd-en-ruiter-uithourit waaraan sowel plaaslike as buitelandse ruiters en hulle perde kom deelneem het en een van slegs drie Suid-Afrikaanse perde-uithouritte oor 160 kilometer op die internasionale perdesport-beheerliggaam (FEI) se internasionale perde-uithouritkalender. Die uithourit is onder die vaandel van die Westelike Provinsie Uithourit-Federasie aangebied. Hier is ’n ruiter en perd aan die oefen onder ’n reënboog by Mega Park. FOTO: ORA LAUBSCHER
Bot River stands up against ongoing crime ANNETTE THERON Efforts by Bot River residents to keep their community safe continued last week with the establishment of the Bot River Community Policing Forum. According to Michael Jeffree, a committee member and also head of the Bot River Neighbourhood Watch mobile unit, about 60 people attended the first meeting on Tuesday 22 July, “which shows the concern about crime in our community”. The forum plans to meet with police representatives once a month under the umbrella of the Caledon Community Policing Forum, in a bid to address residents’ concerns around crime. At this stage it appears that petty theft is one of the big concerns. “Seven burglaries in Bot River in the last two weeks have led to one ar-
rest. And people are hungry,” says Jeffree, explaining that in one breakin at the Bot River Primary School only food was stolen. “All they stole were rice and tins of fish. There were a lot of cooking utensils but they stole only the food.” Crime in Bot River has received wide coverage this year and the victims of one more serious incident are still dealing with the trauma. Barbara Townsend says the aftermath of an attack that happened on Good Friday was almost as bad as the attack itself. One of her daughters went for a walk with her baby, sixyear-old nephew and a teenage German exchange student through the Beaumont forest when they were attacked. “They took the two dogs with them and went up to the pine forest on the Beaumont land behind the Eskom houses.” At one point the boy and the teenager had to fetch a leash they forgot, when a young, slightly
built man appeared and tried to engage in conversation before thrusting a long stick across the student’s throat and pulled her down into the bushes alongside the path. The attacker made off with a smart phone after the boy had started screaming. “The lives of two young people have been altered forever,” Townsend says. The young boy’s greatest thrill used to be his visits to Bot River and to go walking in the forest with his grandfather and the dogs. But after the attack he refused to return to the forest, he started getting nightmares, and is now afraid of the dark. He also battles to focus in the classroom. “By day, when he plays, he now plays games where people are all armed to ward off attacks by robbers. At night he frequently wakes up screaming due to the nightmares.” Townsend said the teenage girl has become very withdrawn. “She is in
complete denial about the attack and does not talk about it.” Townsend says her vision of a charmed country life has been clouded. “Perhaps crime is the reality in South Africa, but do we have to accept it?” She says residents must support those who are trying to keep neighbourhoods safe. “In this regard I am referring to our neighbourhood watch and to our sense of community, of looking out for our neighbours. This goes hand in hand with supporting our community in terms of charity. That’s the way we build a strong community, with supporting the people in this village financially and socially.” * A man from Bot River is also suspected to be involved in a spate of recent home invasions in Fisherhaven. “Four men are involved in house invasions in the area, which started at the end of June. Their modus operan-
di is to target people who are relaxing,” says a resident of Fisherhaven who wishes to remain anonymous. The four home invasions resulted in a stabbing and one couple were forced into their bathroom at knife point by four men who stole electronic goods. Here the community’s reaction resulted in the establishment of a WhatsApp group. “We are looking out for one another and it has brought the community closer together.” Capt. Gerrit Botes confirmed that one of the suspects in the Fisherhaven house robberies is from Bot River and that he is currently in custody. His bail hearing is on 30 July. The police will oppose bail and the investigation is still ongoing. Botes also confirmed that a man was arrested in connection with the housebreaking in Bot River. “He appeared in court last week and will appear again on 4 August.”