Rhodes Park gets a 24-hour security surveillance system
24 March 2017
Rhodes Park, a popular Kensington picnic spot that was plunged into infamy 18 months ago when two men were murdered and a woman was gang-raped, has regained its former glory following the installation of a hi-tech security surveillance system by Johannesburg City Parks & Zoo (JCPZ).
The 24-hour close circuit television (CCTV) monitoring system was unveiled by Johannesburg Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Development Cllr Nonhlanhla Sifumba on Thursday March 23.
The security system will be enhanced by adequate lighting, an integrated security presence, regular crime blitzes and increased community involvement. The system will be rolled out to 87 other key facilities under the management of JCPZ, the City of Johannesburg’s custodian of the green environment.
The initiative is a partnership between the City; Crebus, the company that provided the cameras; and the Development Bank of Southern Africa, the sponsors.
The intervention has been in the pipeline since two young couples walking through the park after a church service were attacked by a group of thugs. The two young men had their hands tied behind their backs and thrown into the dam to drown. One of the two women escaped but the other was not so lucky as she was cornered and gang-raped.
Delivering the keynote address, MMC Sifumba said the intervention was a “groundbreaking milestone” in the City’s quest to provide safe public spaces. “The City will continue to explore and, together with the private sector, provide a safe visitor experience for our users,” she said.
Cllr Sifumba said the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) remained the lead agent for safety and security in the city as it was the relevant entity legally empowered to enforce safety by-laws.
She said, however, that this did not mean that JCPZ, as the custodian of such spaces, should abandon its responsibility to safeguard the wellbeing of residents and other users of its parks and open spaces.
Ward 66 Councillor Carlos da Rocha said the installation of the CCTV monitoring system was a gift to his community. “I’m happy. I can’t contain myself. I want to thank MMC Sifumba and JCPZ for the initiative. This means a lot to us as the community of this area. People we will now be having picnics in a safe park,” said Cllr Da Rocha.
MMC Sifumba said a further initiative to combat crime in public spaces would include a service level agreement between the JMPD and JCPZ – which is being finalised – to assist park rangers.