Why are we segregating Hout Bay rather than dealing with Hout Bay as a whole? How do you intend to improve the response rate when a crime is committed?

We cannot use money from our CID for other areas. The use of cameras will allow us to see when a crime is being committed. We can prevent crime by improving our community. 20% of people in our community contribute to HBNW. We are noted as being the best area for contributions, but we cannot only rely on 20% of the community making these contributions. CCP who runs Watchcon, is a professional company and cannot only rely on donations. Would love to see an integrated CID for the whole of Hout Bay, but if you start off too large the aims and budget would be too large and will be unmanageable. We need to start off in a smaller area where the aims and objectives are common.

As a Pensioner living in Baviaanskloof for over 40 years, we are afraid that this process will push us out of Hout Bay, as we believe happened to some people in Llandudno. The people could not afford the increase in their rates and had to leave. This process needs to be considered very carefully.

CCT has a clear process to determine those eligible for rates relief. We have looked carefully into Llandudno – initially the committee was convinced that they could deliver on the objectives on a very low budget. The numbers they presented to the community were way lower than what was needed for them to deliver, so they had to go back to the community to say that they were underfunded and had to ask for more money. Important to note that CCT sets a maximum rate increase of 25%, but we are not suggesting that this will be the number that we will go to.
One has to balance the increase costs against the benefits that one is going to achieve from this. This is not about what the Steering Committee wants, but what the community wants. We need feedback from everybody so that we can work on the budget and costs and present the numbers to the community so that a vote can take place. CCT must also approve the budget.

The survey did not actually ask if the community wants an SRA? What is the status of the security in SEB? What metrics do you use to form an SRA? How do you measure crime? What are the causes and effects?

The key reason for not asking in the survey if respondents supported the CID was because until the survey was completed and a budget developed, we would not have been able to tell the community what the costs would be – ie it is too early in the process for the community to make an informed decision.

Who should vote for an SRA, is it worth it? What are the facts; is it worth the effort? What are the future improvements? What are the costs?

We cannot answer what is going to happen in the future, but we can say what has happened in the past. In the past 2 months Penzance has had 1 house break-in and SE has had multiple. Our objective is to have more cameras with improved monitoring, more patrolling to make it more difficult for crime to hit a softer target. We need to take pride in our area. Reference the safety improvements made to Seapoint since 2002 thanks to the introduction of CID.

What happens if the Management Committee of the CID screws up? What recourse does the homeowner have to protect their interest?

As soon as a CID is formed, and every homeowner registers to become a member of the CID, they can at any point in time request an EGM and call for a vote to be held. Of the 41 existing CIDs in CT there are many that are already into their 2nd and 3rd terms. Thus far, not one single area has not voted to renew their CID.

How will you handle crime and grime on a limited budget, where ratepayers outnumber squatters, where the sewage system does not work, where we have a Fish Factory problem, inefficient law enforcement, uncontrolled violence, taxi violence and lawlessness?

In an ideal world we would like to find a solution for all in Hout Bay, unfortunately, these issues fall out of the SEB community. Ideally there would be more CIDs in the Hout Bay area that we could work together with, but it would be unrealistic to assume that the SEBCID would be able to fix all of these problems.

Most problems originate outside of SEB. How are we going to impact those problems?

Initially we need to deter crime in our area and in the long term we would like to be able to deal with the social issues that cause it. This is not what the CID can do at the onset.

Why do you not create a CID for the whole of Hout Bay? What is the proposed area for the SRA?

Refer to SEBCID Geographical Area

How many households are in the SRA (SEBCID)?

672

If we were charged on average R1,000/month for an annual budget of R5m, could the CID do anything with that amount?

We prefer not to speculate on budgets at this stage.

Would the range of R100 – R1,000/month in rates make a difference?

Any increased spend will hopefully make a difference given it will be 100% focused on our area. We do not know what the specific budget will be yet, but we will be fully transparent on the CID budget and we will hold the CCT accountable for all the services that they should provide for the community under basic rates. We have had extensive communication with CCT and they are very comfortable with the proposed size of our CID.

Hillcrest have invested in a lot of video cameras that are not working. It was suggested to put in thermal cameras but at a very high cost. Can the CID cover the camera costs, or would the residents need to come together a sponsor this for themselves? We do not feel safe and live in fear. Will the CID take over all cameras in Hillcrest?

We need to cost these things in the context of an overall plan for the Community. A wide variety of camera technologies were discussed, will discuss these options with the security companies. Important to integrate the network of cameras and security forces.

Concerned about shifting our problem onto another community – cameras are not going to solve poverty?

We can deter crime, we can displace crime, but in the long term we would like to find a solution to work with all areas of Hout Bay. Most of us don't feel safe and we can address that we don't feel safe, but we cannot address the broader social issues at this point.

Will the CID take overall responsibility for ADT, Deep Blue, CCP, HBNW and Watchcon services in the area?

Yes, the CID will take responsibility for the whole area, but it should not stop you from contributing to these organizations too.

I don't feel safe, I have asked visitors not to come. It's affecting my business (B&B) negatively.

Once the CID is in place, bear in mind that the integrated video camera monitoring program will offer individual streets significant savings over what they are funding on their own today. There should be significant economies of scale when the CID brings the community together.

CCT, is understaffed, ill-equipped, in debit and underqualified. The City is not able to provide service to areas that they are required to service. CCT should be providing service such a garbage collection, storm drainage cleaning. With the utility fees increasing, I just cannot afford to do this. There should be some relief for pensioners other than what the current levels of relief are.

The City has a dedicated department looking after CIDs and they are performing as a dedicated hot line to the City with our requests. Areas with a CID in place should have a louder voice with the City than those without.

There are many in the community that don't have gates, beams or other safety devices they are essentially getting a free ride while the rest of the community are paying for services by ADT, Deep Blue etc. Who really wants an SRA?

R128 of our rates go to public safety with the City. 20% of the community actually pays HBNW. Everybody needs to contribute and support, there cannot be any free riders.
Resident discussed effectiveness of dog patrol units. He spoke about living in an SRA in JHB where in the end 359 out of 360 homes contributed to the SRA. He felt safe living there, but, was assaulted with a gun in the suburb next door. He feared for his children.

This is the 3rd time that a CID has been presented to Hout Bay. I have given it a lot of thought and see that a CID is a no brainer. This is the only way that the community can come together to maintain a certain value. How can this be more expensive than an annual decrease in the value of our homes? This something is better than nothing. If we were to pay R500/month to have a budget of R300,000 – R600,000, part of this should go to social services and we should work with other CIDs on an integrated social service program. Concerned that we only got less than 50% response rate to the survey

46% was actually a very good result in the context that CCT only requires 20% of survey responses. Worth noting also that survey results at the 20% response rate were very similar to those at the 40% response rate. However, ideally we would like every resident to complete the survey so please continue to spread the word, ask everyone to reach out to friends and neighbours to complete the survey which is still on line, we need as much feedback as possible.

The meeting ended with a resident thanking the Steering Committee for their dedication and efforts thus far and acknowledging that it can't be easy.