City business owners unite to fight crime
The Boom street Action Group was created for business owners to collaborate in efforts to secure, protect and add value to Boom Street and its surrounding streets and businesses.
The Pietermaritzburg business community is piling their resources together to fight against the escalating criminal activity in the Pietermaritzburg CBD.
The increase in crime in the central business district is not only a direct threat to businesses, but also bad for business, as an increase in muggings on city streets continues to make customers feel unsafe.
The Boom Street Action Group, comprising business owners in the vicinity of Boom Street, was formed in March to address the rise in crime, as well as the accumulation of litter and refuse along Boom Street.
The group was created for business owners to collaborate in efforts to secure, protect and add value to Boom Street and its surrounding streets and businesses. The objectives of the group are to curb crime in the area and to ensure that the block is kept clean.
The area covered by the action group is Boshoff Street up to Chief Albert Luthuli Street, Hoosen Haffejee Street through to Greyling Street as well as all the side roads and lanes in between.
Each business owner belonging to the action group contributes a nominal monthly subscription fee towards the services rendered by this initiative. One business belonging to the organisation is responsible for cleaning the streets, while another business has employed scouts to patrol the area at night in an effort to curb crime in the area.
Larry Brown was elected as the chairperson of the group, with Justin Roberts serving as security liaison and Michele Fynn as the administrator.
With crime on the increase in the city, the organisation has appealed to business owners in the Boom Street precinct to attend the monthly meetings and join them in this initiative. You can get in touch through their Facebook page: Boom St. Action Group or email admin@gflc.co.za
Meanwhile, Pietermaritzburg security company Mi7 National Group is doing their bit to help city businesses protect their premesis with a special security package for city businesses.
Mi7 is offering to install, free of charge, three more fully-fitted pole dome surveillance systems, valued at R120 000 each, at strategic points in the CBD. This will bring the total number of cameras Mi7 has installed on the CBD perimeters to five.
The cameras, equipped with advanced Automatic Number Plate Recognition software, will be installed at strategic locations marking the entry and exit points to and from the CBD. This will secure the CBD at entry and exit points from vehicles used in criminal activities, as well as red flag stolen vehicles as they leave the city.
Furthermore, the company will install, free of charge, an additional 10 surveillance systems at intersections across the CBD, especially in high risk areas, allowing them to monitor busy intersections and roadways for criminal activity.
As part of its proposal, the Mi7 National Group will deploy, at its own cost, up to 10 guards to high risk areas in the CBD during normal business hours. These guards will be provided with enforcement equipment like tonfas, handcuffs, two-way radios, a non-lethal hand gun and pepper spray. Each guard will also be equipped with a transportation device to allow for swift mobility across the city, the cost of which will be borne by the company.
The national security company will also provide, free of charge, up to three dedicated armed response units to the CBD, day and night. This offer is made on the provision that a minimum of 500 businesses sign over to a Mi7 armed response package at R599 per month.
A minimum of 500 properties would allow for the full surveillance network to be installed, five fully-equipped mobile guards during normal business hours, and two full-time dedicated armed response crews. A minimum of 800 properties would allow for the installation of the full surveillance network, 10 fully-equipped mobile guards during normal business hours, and three fulltime dedicated armed response crews.