Dear Kenton Ratepayers

Winter is definitely the time of year to be a permanent resident. Our village of Kenton offers beautiful cool mornings giving way to sunny windless days; we do occasionally have the odd cold windy day but in general all is very calm and peaceful here.

However, even in this calm and peaceful village we do need to be aware of criminal elements:

• Let’s never forget that crime is a profession.
• To carry out successful criminal acts you need to be really good at it.
• Criminals spend a lot of time observing their surroundings and drawing conclusions.
• They certainly do not waste their ‘valuable’ time for nothing.
• They look for an influx of cars. Especially with GP or CA number plates.
• These plates identify non-locals with plenty of accessible bounty.

When holiday makers unpack their cars and start to relax they become an easy target for the removal of cell phones, computers and hand bags. Not a great way to start a vacation!

So what happens to all the ‘stuff’ that’s been removed from your possession? Well, it will normally enter into the local barter system where an IPhone will be worth X amount of drugs. A computer will be worth Y amount of drugs; an efficient system which makes your ‘stuff’ hard to trace and reclaim.

The trouble is that crime, no matter how minor, affects us all! We all need to be aware and take precautions:

• Don’t leave ‘stuff’ lying around your house during the day or night.
• Keep valuables locked securely away.
• Don’t tempt professional criminals.
• Make it hard for them by leaving no visual clues.
• Lock your doors and windows.
• Make it a habit to always set your alarm system.

I know that it is frustrating to have to be continuously diligent but this is the reality of life. So do please try, I would love to have zero crime on this watch!

We have, in Kenton, had little crime of a very serious nature and I would like to keep it that way. I have mentioned this before, but would like to reiterate, professional criminals are moving into our public spaces and I find this very worrying.

Our police are way understaffed and underequipped. HiTec, although very helpful, have little legal ability in the spaces the police are supposed to operate in and protect. So, with this in mind and in conjunction with Hitec and SAPS, we have set about looking at a total security solution for Kenton. Which, if we are able to institute it and providing it proves successful, we will roll out to the entire area.

Obviously, this type of project has to have entire community ‘buy in’ and at this stage our community are not very supportive. Let me explain:

• The annual KOSRA subs are R400.
• That is R33.33 per month.
• Out of the 1 300 properties in Kenton only 180 pay KOSRA membership.
• Less than half of those contribute to the security fund.
• Seven people have contributed 90% of the security fund this year.
• There has been no KOSRA subs paid from any business in Kenton.
• And no contribution to the security fund from any Kenton businesses.

Yet, if there is a criminal incident EVERYONE goes up in arms!

This paints a gloomy picture of Kenton’s community spirit. If we want to keep ‘our little piece of heaven’ we need to stand together. Unfortunately, it is up to us to step into the breach and finance our own initiatives.

KOSRA has increased our media platforms to keep you informed. We have made it easy to pay the subs, online or by EFT.  We have spent many volunteer man-hours working on your behalf.

And now we really need your SUPPORT!

Mark Moses
Chair, KOSRA Security

KOSRA WORKING FOR YOU!