| MAY 2007 Dear Readers Mention the word “commitment”, and everyone thinks, “uh-oh, here comes another demand on my time-strapped lifestyle”, or “not another strain on our already limited resources”. While most people would claim they are committed to a safe, clean environment, many pay mere lip service to the responsibility that goes with being committed to a cause that benefits everyone. Take, for example, the ordeal of being mugged, where there’s a victim and an aggressor. On many occasions the CID gets involved and, due to a very successful security programme in conjunction with SAPS and other law enforcement agencies, we are in a position to make the necessary arrests and return the stolen items within minutes. End of story? Not by a long shot. This is where it becomes tricky. The victim now has his/her goods back and the aggressor sits in lock-up. According to our criminal law, a docket must be opened at the local police station with the victim’s statement. Only then can the necessary steps be taken to have the aggressor appear in court to face the charges that are brought against him/her and possibly face a jail term or the appropriate penalty. Unfortunately, the majority of victims fail to make a statement – because they think it’s too much of a bother. This means the incident is not listed as a crime statistic and, moreover, the aggressor is free to leave, only to roam the streets and pounce on the next unsuspecting victim. Assuming that being committed to a safer and cleaner environment is a priority for most people, why do most people fail to make the effort to go down to the police station to make the statement? Their answers – “I do not want to get involved”, or “I have my goods back, so why the hassle?” – often reflect their level of commitment: As members of the community we need to go that extra yard. Sure, it requires patience and time. But it is this level of commitment that’s needed to make a difference in reducing criminal activities. We appeal to you to follow through if you are victimised. The CID is committed to ensuring a cleaner and safer environment and we are available to help you make the law enforcement system work for you. Best wishes,
Marc Truss Water Works
There is one message The City of Cape Town Water Services wants to convey: save water. That’s according to Graham Reid, operational manager for distribution control in reticulation of water and waste. Reid, whose department’s key responsibilities include maintenance of the system, valves, hydrants, pipelines, etc., says he shares the Water Services vision “to become leaders in the provision of equitable, sustainable, people-centred, affordable and credible water services to all”. Water Services works diligently to ensure the implementation of international best management practices in the provision of water services, says Reid. In practical terms “we want to improve service delivery and tend to complaints as quickly as possible.” And that means getting key players from the approximately 300-strong Hillstar Depot crew (which services the CBD area to Camps Bay) Reid manages to meet their 30- to 45-minute response time once a customer complaint is lodged. Water is a scarce resource and we need to conserve it, says Reid. “Every household has a role to play and can contribute to saving water and money. So don’t let overflow taps run, engage a plumber and report leaks as soon as you see it.” The department operates 24/7 and customers can call toll-free, says Reid. The emergency contact number for the Technical Operation Centre (TOC) is 0800 00 4756, or call the depot on 021 710 1260. TAKE 5 1. Hudson Development  GA new contemporary retail and office development on the corner of Strand and Hudson streets is taking shape. The Hudson development incorporates the old Tobacco Warehouse, which was built by Otto Landsberg, a Dutch tobacco and snuff merchant in 1901.
The development consists of 2500 square metres of office space and 1500 square metres of retail space and is already 80 percent let. The development, designed by Leon Saven Architectural Design, includes a Zen courtyard with plant and water features. The development is conveniently situated adjacent to the Cape Quarter, close to residential areas, and within walking distance of the CBD in the boundaries of a CID, making it a safe, vibey and ideal location for a business expansion of this nature. Says Gerald Phillips, a key player in the development of this building: ”I need to compliment the CID on the placement of security guards in the De Waterkant parking area. We used to have at least two incidents per day within this area and since the visible security has been put in place there has been none.” The first tenants move into the building in May. Expect lifestyle stores, in true Green Point fashion, which incorporate German kitchen designers and Turkish and Vietnamese interiors. 2. Plascon Paint Training Academy  The Plascon Paint Training Academy is a promising new learnership programme developed by Barloworld and invites potential candidates to master basic paintbrush skills for construction painting.
 The programme is a social responsibility project that aims to recruit and select unemployed potential learners, then train, develop and certify them in an effort to increase their chances for employment. The programme is backed by SETA (Sector Education and Training Authority) and SAQA (South African Quality Assurance Body) qualification standards, and concentrates on health and safety, basic hand tools competencies, personal finance, as well as HIV/Aids knowledge. The practical course allows for hands-on learning that enables a learner to prime and prepare all types of surfaces for painting.
Contractors involved in the programme employ learners for the duration of the six-week learnership. The contractor is liable for mentoring and guidance, providing support and time off for theoretical training, but also a basic salary/allowance to cover transport costs. Anyone is eligible to apply or may be recommended to the course, but preference is given to candidates who show need and potential to complete the course. For more information on the learnership and how to get involved, contact Megan Williams on 021 505 2513 or mwilliams@plascon.co.za 3. Mother’s Day Different countries celebrate Mother's Day on various days of the year (13 May in South Africa) because the day has a number of different origins. One school of thought claims this day emerged from a custom of mother worship in ancient Greece. Mother worship, which kept a festival to Cybele, a great mother of gods and according to mythology the wife of Cronus, was held around the Vernal Equinox around Asia Minor and eventually in Rome from the Ides of March (March 15 to March 18). The Romans also had another holiday, Matronalia, which was dedicated to Juno, though mothers were usually given gifts on this day. In the United States, Mother's Day was transplanted from England by social activist Julia Ward Howe after the American Civil War as a peace call to unite women against war. She wrote the Mother's Day Proclamation. Today some organizations are working to revive Howe’s original vision of a holiday that celebrates peacemaking by mothers and others. According to the National Restaurant Association, Mother's Day is now the most popular day of the year to dine out at a restaurant in the United States. In the UK, the day simply celebrates motherhood and thanks mothers. In most countries, Mother's Day is a new concept copied from Western civilization. In many African countries, the idea of one Mother's Day has its origins in the British concept, although there are many festivals and events celebrating mothers within the many cultures of the African continent centuries before the Colonials arrival. In most of East Asia Mother's Day is a heavily marketed and commercialized concept emulating Mother's Day in the USA. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother's_Day 4. Coffee Route  Wake up and smell the coffee at this year’s Illovo Coffee Route brought to you by T-Zone and Lavazza from Friday 18 May until Sunday 27 May. The Cape’s best coffee shops compete for the best coffee bragging rights. Visitors vote can for their favourite coffee shop by bringing entries to the Good Food and Wine Show on Thursday 24 or Friday 25 May and receive a R10 deduction off this festival’s entrance fee. The winner takes home fabulous prizes from Telkom T-Zone. Also look out for the special Coffee Supplement in Die Burger for info on participating coffee shops during the month of May. The CID has no monetary interest in the event, but will be on hand to assist with cleaning and security. For more information, visit www.gourmetsa.com or call (084) 565 0069. Illovo Coffee Route participating outlets are continually posted on the website as they are confirmed.  Event details
Venue: Around Cape Town
Phone: (084) 565 0069
Web site: www.gourmetsa.com
5. Torque of the Town  Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines. Harley-Davidson is officially on the move and, starting on Friday 25 May at 19h00, you can drive up to an exciting new location for to the official opening with a full Happy Hour Week.
Shifting gears from the current Buitengracht location, the new premises at 9 Somerset Road, on the corner of Hudson Street, Green Point, boasts a new look with a few design specs that’ll be sure to rev engines: a huge showroom floor sports new and pre-owned Harley-Davidsons; an extensive MotorClothes department; and a big luxury customer lounge with plasma screens. The facility also houses a separate entrance for rentals and workshop, a full valet service station, as well as six dedicated customer parking bays.  The Buitengracht location will continue to function as a fully equipped PDI centre, as well as serve as a warehouse for damaged and rental bikes and store parts and accessories.
For more information on the move, contact Mariska Kriek on 021 424 3990.
SECURITY UPDATE
Avoiding frauds and scams Many people believe they're too smart to fall for a scam. However, con artists rob millions of people from all walks of life every year. The fact is con artists are not easy to spot. Often smartly dressed and extremely persuasive, they come knocking at your door and intrude in your lives via the telephone and email, and advertise in reputable newspapers and magazines. The latest in Bank Deposit Refund Scams include phishing and “vishing”. Phishing, is an attempt by criminals to access your confidential information. Typically, the e-mail asks clients to click on a link (added in the e-mail) and to enter "in the small window your bank account information". The link takes you to a bogus website where unsuspecting clients voluntarily key in their personal details. Scammers now have unlimited access to their banking details. "Vishing", as opposed to phishing, relies on Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephony. Perpetrators take advantage of a quirk in VoIP that allows subscribers to have a telephone number that appears to be based in a city, such as Cape Town, even though they may be anywhere in the world. How does this work in practice? One example is when fraudsters deposit worthless cheques into the accounts of selected victims. Thereafter they send victims a letter from a well-known company, such as Eskom or the SARS, claim the deposit was made in error and demand a refund. They provide bank account details into which the cash must be transferred. Assuming the deposit was made in error, victims consent to the refund. Don’t be prompted. Use common sense and try to learn about new scams. Bank account holders can protect themselves by taking a few simple precautions: - Do not “refund” until you have verified with the bank that the deposit is indeed valid;
- Wait for all cheque deposits to clear before making any payment; and
- If you have any suspicions, contact the company they claim the money was taken from for verification.
In general, don't let greed overcome your common sense. Always be wary also of high-pressure sales; demands for “cash only”; secret deals; no risk, high yield investments. And where possible, get a second opinion from someone you can trust. NEWS YOU CAN USE Latest hotspots and areas of concern
Last updated: 2007-04-14
Source: http://www.cpfctn.co.za/ Robberies
> Strand and Adderley Street and Grand Parade
House breakings
> Vredehoek area
> Chelmsford and St James Street areas
Theft out of motor vehicle
> Cape Town CBD
Vehicle theft
> Vredehoek area
> Chelmsford and St James Street areas
| Dates to diarise
May Nosel’eyibethile Akakayoji – Drama
Date: 1 - 8 April 2007
Venue: Artscape Theatre, Cape Town
Tel: 021 410 9834 sticksm@artscape.co.za www.artscape.co.za Pinelands Carnival
Date: 04 – 06 May
Venue: Pinelands Sports Centre on Ringwood Road
Phone: 082 725 6432 mainevents@worldonline.co.za http://www.tourismcapetown.co.za/ Tosca - Opera
Date: 10 - 26 May 2007
Venue: Artscape Opera House, Cape Town
Tel: 021 410 9820 lesleyl@capetownopera.co.za www.capetownopera.co.za Cape Times/V&A Waterfront Wine Festival
Date: 9 – 12 May 2007
Venue: Market Square
Tel: 21 408 7600 info@waterfront.co.za www.waterfront.co.za Table Bay Classic Yacht Race
Date: 14 - 19 May 2007
Venue: Table Bay, Cape Town
Tel: 021 421 1354 sailing@rcyc.co.za www.rcyc.co.za Kringe in ‘n Bos – Theatre
Date: 16 – 25 May 2007
Venue: Artscape Theatre, Cape Town
Tel: 021 410 9915 debbied@artscape.co.za www.artscape.co.za Cape Gourmet Festival: Good Food & Wine Show
Date: 24 – 27 May 2007
Venue: Cape Town
Tel: 021 797 4500 info@gourmetsa.com www.gourmetsa.com Our partners     
How to Save Water Some of the simple things we do can make a marked difference to our monthly metered reading. Here’s how: - Replace the washer. A dripping tap (one drop per second) could waste up to 30 litres an hour – which is 10,000 litres a year).
- Cut down the amount of water flushed down the pan. Putting a 2- litre plastic bottle full of water in the cistern could save you up to 7300 litres each year.
- Close the tap. Closing the tap while cleaning your teeth saves up to 20 litres, or shaving (saves up to 45 litres).
- Don’t take a bath. A bath uses an average of 160 litres; a five-minute shower uses 60 litres. Shower rather that bath, but if you have to bath, run a smaller bath.
http://www.capetown.gov.za/water Important numbers Police Services - 24hr Emergency
10111 Fire Station - Emergency Services
021 535 1100 Ambulance
10177 Mountain Fires
021 423 3210 Disaster Management
021 483 9272 Snakes
0824937713 Metro Police
021 596 1400 Motor Vehicle Licence Department
021 400 2487 Traffic Department (Accidents / Towing etc.)
021 406 8700 Roads and Storm Water (Cape Town)
021 425 3310 Electricity
021 590 1535 /021 424 1331 Water Pollution
(chemicals/poison etc.) 021 557 2226 City Health Department
021 421 0161 Refuse / Black Bins / Collections
021 462 4414 Call Centre - (black/wheelie bins)
0860103089
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