Newsletter: 18 April 2019

Apr 18, 2019 | Highlight News, News

Newsletter – 18 April 2019

Key dates

 

  • Saturday 18 May 2019 at 8h00: PRABOA will be partnering with the Craighall Residents Association (CRA) to clean Hamilton Park, corner of 21st St and 2nd Avenue.

Safety

  • Do not leave doors or gates open, even only for a minute, to go outside your property. We also find an alarming number of garage or gate doors open, where the resident is not even visible, but instead went inside to fetch or do something.
  • Please load the Cortac Control telephone number as a  Favourite or Speed dial.
    Please do not talk on your phone while standing on the pavement along 4th ave in Parkhurst.
  • Regularly test your alarm and panic buttons with the Cortac Control Room, as well as upgrade and review your home security and electric fencing.
  • We have a huge amount of false alarms (On average every 5 minutes  in Parkhurst over the last few months). Every alarm alert is responded to and the time taken and resources used means they cannot effectively patrol.
  • With summer coming up, please properly trim your garden plants and tree branches that can lead to false electric fencing and beam alarms during storms.
  • We also find that in addition to parking cars that are prone to being stolen in the streets, people also leave valuable or visible items in cars parked in the streets, leading to unnecessary break-ins that could have been avoided.
  • Install a Digipad or key lock-box at home to enable Cortac to access your property in an emergency or security event (do not allow a security company to use a master key solution to gain access to your property, this can and does lead to security breaches).
  • When you are driving or walking in our suburb, please be on the lookout for  any suspicious activity that seems unusual or out of place. Always remember: If you looked twice then call it in!

Please join SafeParks!

SafeParks/ Parksec  and our service provider Cortac have rolled out a number of proactive initiatives, including undercover operations,  to combat the spike in crime we unfortunately find over the year-end.

We can only deploy more security resources with community support. If you wish to sign up, please email Lynn Rushton (lynn@safeparks.joburg). Please visit our Facebook and website pages

Facebook: Parksec / Safeparks: https://www.facebook.com/ParksecSafeParks/
Website: https://parksecsafeparks.co.za and https://www.parkhurstvillage.com/join

Cameras

Residents would have noticed new camera poles being installed throughout Parkhurst. These poles are being installed by Vumacam (a Vumatel subsidiary). SafeParks are in discussion with Vumacam and once these are finalised will update the community further on this safety initiative.

Tennis Club

There is a new tennis club at the Parkhurst Recreation Centre. The tennis club was successfully launched with 30 adults attending on 9 March. There will be a social every Saturday.

Juniors: 9:30-1030

Seniors: 14:00-1700

Visitors fee R50

Annual junior membership R1190

Annual senior membership R1690

 

Contact 082 859 8565 or info@tennisforlife.co.za for more information.

 

Verity Park

 

As always, a plea to park users: By not cleaning up after your dog, you are making the park an unpleasant place for others. Please be considerate and stay with your dog, cleaning up any deposit along the way..

If you would like to contribute to the fund that pays for the cleaning of the park, and the bags, please use the following information:

Verity Park User Group
Nedbank Greenside
Account number 1003267173
Branch code  198765

Car guard initiative

Parkhurst will soon launch the second phase of the 4th Ave Car Guard initiative. The initiative, brought about by with 4th Avenue businesses, with support from PRABOA / Safeparks, Cortac and the South African Police Service, aims at assisting existing car guards in the high street precinct earn a more consistent and supportive living from the service they provide visitors to the suburb, by offering them more formal training from the police, and support from the businesses along the strip. For more information please contact technical@parkhurstvillage.com

We are pleased to report that Constable Makhudu of SAPS Parkview was recently given an award by the Community Policing Forum for apprehending the person suspected of murdering Ntando Sibanda (James), a car guard on 4th Avenue. Well done to Constable Makhudu.

Sewer Replacement in Parktown North and Parkhurst

The old sewer in 13th Ave Parktown North down to 20th St in Parkhurst is going to be replaced. This should start in the next month or so. It will involved the old sewer pipes being replaced in the road and there will some disruption in these streets.

Phase 1 will cost R8.6 million & take 3 months. It will replace pipes in 13th Ave, Parktown North from 4th Ave to 1st Ave West; 1st Ave West from 13th Ave to 20th St; and 20th St Parkhurst from 1st Ave West to 5th Ave.

Phase 2 will run concurrently, will cost R12 million and take 4 months. It will replace pipes in Parktown North in 4th Ave from Sutherland Ave to 13th Ave; 13th Ave from 4th Ave to 3rd Ave; and 3rd Ave from 13th Ave to Sutherland Ave.

As there are 2 phases to the Parktown North and Parkhurst project, 2 Community Liaison Officers are needed along with labourers, local contractors, security and a training provider. Application letters and CVS to be submitted at a box that will be provided at ACA Krans Building, 35 Symons Road Auckland Park. Closing Date, Friday, 8th of March 2019. They can also be emailed to VusumziTutuT@joburg.org.za

Electricity meters

Smart Meter Swop Outs

City Power contractor, Busani, is in Parkhurst swopping out old electricity meters for smart meters. There is no choice in the matter – everyone needs to get a smart meter – or you will have your power cut off.

If he has contacted you in the past 2 weeks, you need to call him ASAP on 071-364-1764 to arrange for him to do the swop.

A smart meter is an electronic meter that replaces those old meters that had a dial that whirred around when you were using electricity and clicking up numbers like an old car speedo. Once installed, a smart meter can be converted into a Pre-Paid meter for around R1000. Instead of a meter reader coming around at the end of every month, the smart meters are designed to be read electronically by a signal sent to a received via a cell phone chip.

Security Issues

They should be installed by a contractor who has proper identification. But City Power seems to lax on this requirement. You can call the City Power Risk Control Hotline ‭011-490-7553‬ to ask them to verify the consultant’s bona fides. If you are worried about letting someone in to do the work, then press your panic button and get your security company to present during the installation. They should not ask for any money or offer to bypass the meter for a fee. If they do, contact ‭the Risk Control # above.

Problems Experienced

You will probably receive estimated readings on your electricity bill for a few months before the new meter kicks in. You may even receive estimated readings on your old meter number until it is removed from the system.  Smart meters use cell signals (either MTN or Vodacom) to transmit data. It is useful to check the Vodacom and MTN signals the location of your meter box using cell phones or via the respective cell provider’s website. Ask the installer to use a sim that works there.

You need to do the following when they install the new smart meter:

  • Take a photo of old meter and note down who installed it, time, date, old meter number and reading. Note: Hefcom meters have been discontinued wont give you a reading anymore.
  • Take a photo or make a copy of the job card.
  • Note down the new meter name and number.
  • Be satisfied with the quality of the installation.

You are also supposed to get a Customer Interface Unit (CIU). These are handheld wireless devices that allow you to check on your consumption and control the meter. If you have converted to pre-paid, then it’s also how you input the voucher number after you have purchased electricity. You need to be shown how to use it. It is better to plug it in rather than use a battery to power it. You must check if the smart meter is registered on the system and works correctly before the installer leaves. This takes about 30 mins. This is VERY important for pre-paid meters.

Environment

Owl Box Initiative

There are 22 Owl Boxes in Parkhurst, unfortunately none of these boxes are currently occupied, however in Parktown North one of the boxes are occupied.

For more information please visit the latest news letter by Ecosolutions http://ecosolutions.co.za/news/dont-turn-green-go-green, alternatively please contact Lize Hough at  environment@parkhurstvillage.com.

Hamilton Park

PRABOA has identified a need to clean Hamilton Park to make it a safer environment for everyone to enjoy. PRABOA will be partnering with the Craighall Residents Association (CRA) to clean Hamilton Park on Saturday 18 May 2019 at 8h00.  Please join us!

Please keep an eye out for notices on the I Love Parkhurst Facebook page and please contact Lize Hough at environment@parkhurstvillage.com to get involved!

Built environment, heritage and town planning
FAQ’s

The plan review sub-committee will meet on 24 April, 10 May, 22 May, 5 June. Please submit your plans at least two days in advance of the meeting. Plans can be marked for the attention of Catherine Grainger and Gabriela Seco and delivered to: Perch, 2nd Floor, 27 bath Avenue, Rosebank.

The plans review sub-committee introduced a processing fee for building plan submissions of R1000, discounted for members but higher for business premises, effective from April 1st 2019. Submission documents must be accompanied by a printed proof of payment in order to be accepted for review by PRABOA. Please use your ERF number as the payment reference. Payments are to be made to PRABOA:

Account name: Parkhurst Residents and Business Owner’s Association

  • Bank: Standard Bank
  • Branch: Jan Smuts Avenue
  • Branch code: 004205
  • Account number: 422263346
  • Account type: Cheque

PRABOA have recently engaged Eduard van der Linde as a Town Planning advisor to the Committee to assist with town planning and zoning issues in Parkhurst. Further information regarding the PRABOA submission process can be found here:

https://parkhurstvillage.com/parkhurst/town-planning/

Catherine Grainger and Gabriela Seco head up the PRABOA Architecture portfolio. They will be handling all building plan submissions and heritage issues. They can be contacted at architecture@parkhurstvillage.com

Parkhurst Primary

PRABOA has a close working relationship with Parkhurst Primary. To get involved, please contact Kundayi Munzara (kundayi@parkhurstvillage.com).

Call for volunteers

PRABOA could use your help! Please get in touch and let us know what you are interested in. We could really use help in the town planning area. We need assistance with a car guard solution for homeless people. We could use help on our website and with communications. We can help put you in touch with Incredible Edible Parkhurst if you are interested. We could really use help with our website, communication and marketing particularly with the SafeParks/Parksec safety project. Do you want to help set up the next Village Fair? Please let us know! Please get in touch with Cheryl Labuschagne (chair@parkhurstvillage.com) to volunteer.

Internet

If you don’t manage to get sufficient support from your ISP please send an email to aerial@vumatel.co.za. You can also contact Ryan Hawthorne (technical@parkhurstvillage.com). We are currently looking for solutions for member management and community interaction for PRABOA / SafeParks / Parksec. Please get in touch with Ryan if you have any ideas on this.  

AGM 2018

You can find the YouTube video of the 2018 AGM and all of the PRABOA committee member reports here: https://parkhurstvillage.com/agm-2018

Leaving Parkhurst?

If you intend leaving Parkhurst, and want to cancel your SafeParks debit order, send an email to admin@parkhurstvillage.com with your name(s) and address and if possible, the contact details of the new owner, tenant, agent or landlord. You must cancel your home alarm contract with Cortac separately. No other email addresses for SafeParks should be used for cancellations.