The Grahamstown Police and Makana Municipality are attempting to “control and legalise" the car guard system in the city, said Captain Mali Govender of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
The Grahamstown Police and Makana Municipality are attempting to “control and legalise" the car guard system in the city, said Captain Mali Govender of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
She said in an interview with Grocott's Mail that an initiative begun last year, whereby several members of the community were screened by the police and provided with authorisation cards, was in the process of being renewed.
Currently, said Govender, “We have a large number of both adults and children acting as car guards.”
“As the police, we have to take immediate action. Crime is our priority,” Govender said.
“Several incidents of thefts out of motor vehicles have…been reported and equipment including laptops, cellphones, iPhones and iPads have been stolen,” she said.
The use of garage remotes to corrupt the central locking mechanisms in vehicles is believed to be one of the means being used to break in to vehicles, she said.
Govender said that car guards have become aggressive, referring to a recent incident of a car guard who assaulted and robbed a driver in front of the Rat & Parrot in New Street.
Mali said that arrests had been made but more cases are still being reported.
Cluster Commander of Grahamstown SAPS, Brigadier Morgan Govender, said in a statement on Wednesday that, “The initiative to introduce a car guard system has been prompted by the growing number of incidents where vehicles are being broken into and also stolen.
“A team has … been tasked to get these illegal operators off the street.”
Grocott’s Mail spoke to employees at Haricots Deli and Bistro on New Street, who welcomed the initiative. Floor manager, Mongezi Blanc, said, “It is about time. There are street kids coming and (harassing) people coming to eat, because this is the busiest street.”
Blanc said the new system would also reduce street crime.
Govender said, “At the moment there is no … legal car guard system in place (in Grahamstown).”
She said, however, that the “meter marshals in High Street are different to car guards, but this is another process that is (also) being reviewed between the Makana Municipality and the supplier,” she said.
Makana Municipality spokesperson, Yoliswa Ramokolo, said, “Makana Municipality working with the police. They are going to screen the people currently working as car guards and parking marshals. If they do not have any criminal records they will be given a nametag to perform as car guards.”
The High St meter marshals are employed by Thabo Dlabantu, who had a contract with Makana Municipality, which is understood to have expired and has not been renewed.
Ramokolo, confirmed that the municipality was in the process of issuing a tender for the provision of High Street meter marshalls. She said Dlabantu would have to re-apply.
Dlabantu could not be reached for comment.
She said that while the police did not want to meddle in the municipality’s contractual affairs, they were keen to work with the municipality to address the situation.
Thandiso Matsolo, one of Dlabantu’s employees, has been a car marshal for three years.
“I just love my job because our manager (takes) care of us; if we have a problem he comes and solves it,” he said.
Matsolo said Dlabantu said he had talked to the police and he has permission to operate.
Another police concern is that of the washing of vehicles in Grahamstown’s streets, which is illegal according to Section 18 (1) (d) of the Makana Municipality’s parking-meter and parking grounds by-laws.
Attempts to stop this have been previously implemented by erecting warning signs. Unfortunately, said Govender, these signs have been removed or vandalised.
