Welcome
Anne Askew welcomed all present. She explained how the initiative had originally started and spoke about the plans presented at the ERA AGM by herself and Chris Crozier of the Lonehill Residents Association .
Attendance and apologies
The meeting was attended by the following : Anne Askew, Louis Grobler, Rod Crompton, Azhar Cassim, Hamish Ridder, Michael Brown, Charl Ueckermann, Rashid Malek, Gemay Abrahams, Gavin Herold and Joan Gardner. Apologies were received from Alex Elliott, Lyn Van Haght, Iq Bal, David Ferreira, Caroline Lambert, Rod Croll, Michael Braun and Nitesh Matai.
Introduction
Gemay Abrahams - on tender sub committee with Gavin Herold - would like a more family orientated suburb.
Gavin Herold - head of the tender committee-wants people in the area to be more involved.
Rashid Malek - on various committees representing the Muslim community - recently elected deputy chairman on the ERA committee - interested in the welfare of the suburb- has lived here for twelve years -
Louis Grobler - invested interest in Melville - PR with Top Security - would like to add value to some of the processes involved in the security plan
Michael Brown - invested interest in Emmarentia - has lived here for the past thirty five years - feels security companies have unreasonable contracts and poor responses.
Francois - belongs to the Greenside Residents Association - Anne Askew had proposed that Greenside join Emmarentia in this venture and spoke at their AGM recently.
Azhar Cassim - from Sunnyshell Garage - resident in the area for the past two years- has been involved in two armed robberies.
Hamish Ridder - belongs to Greenside Residents Association - found the concept very interesting.
Rod Crompton - very actively involved in the Melville Koppies - has lived in the area for past eleven years and has been robbed three times - tried street security initiative but no progress was ever made.
There was a discussion as to whether the representatives from Top Security should be present at the meeting.It was felt that the committee did need security advice and that they could help with the direct management until the tender was out. SAS was initially involved on an advisory capacity but has now backed out. Finally it was decided that their presence may create conflict and this was not the forum for their input. The representatives then left the meeting.
General Overview
GH to hold onto the three contracts from the security companies. Alex Elliott has already perused them.
AC-help has been offered by one of the residents who has experience with tenders.
GH - there should be another follow-up security meeting for the residents.
RC - need to look at the risks and start informing the people about contracts as the security companies are likely to tie them into heavier contracts.
Francois - Martin Barber never attended the meeting with the captain.
AC -communication is the biggest problem.
AA - ERA will market the Security Plan but whoever gets the tender must then help with the marketing. Ane Koekemoer of the NMT will put an article in the paper on a weekly basis. Posters, handouts and the website will also be utilized.
MB - important to get email addresses.
AA - spoke to Wendy Corrie and Pam Golding regarding access to their databases.
HM - Need an organized project plan that can be sold to the residents and to assess the risks, advantages and disadvantages.
AA explained the proposed security plan for Emmarentia.
Joint Security Initiative with Greenside Residents Association
AA - Greenside needs to decide as a committee whether they will join in with this initiative.
AC - Documentation would need to be separate but it would be advantageous to have the two suburbs in terms of the necessary critical mass. The two associations should meet for the purpose of security.
GH - the decision should be made very soon. Critical mass is important and easier to achieve if the two suburbs are involved.
AC - If the two associations are to form a single security entity the rules of cooperation must be formalized regarding the amalgamation in terms of the capital, the way forward, shareholders etc.
AA will approach the chairman of the Greenside Residents Association following which both committees need to go back to the residents and make a final decision.
The response at the Greenside AGM was very positive and a strong indication that this was what the residents wanted.
Overall Project Plan
What
To set up meeting to present the project plan.
To meet with chairman of GRA.
GRA to meet with Jean of security sub committee.
Article for NMT to be given to Ane Koekemoer
Comments
RC - ERA needs a resolution to adopt this mandate with Greenside which needs to be formalized and tabled at the next meeting.
A general meeting should be held before the tender goes out.
Section 21 company
What
To obtain all documentation and exemption letter from Carina of the Lonehill Association
To contact Alex Elliott and Peter Brunskie of the Lonehill Residents Association re: risks, advantages and disadvantages.
Comments
AA - ERA is a voluntary organization not a company so they would pay tax on the interest only not the profit if they were to become a Section 21 Company - beneficial for a non profit organization.
RC - ERA would have to take a formal decision to become a Section 21 Company and would probably have to pay tax. - The final decision would be made by the Receiver.
ERA should go for a ' PTY' option where all members are shareholders.
GA - ERA should get a directive from the SAR to see if they are eligible for a formal exemption.
AA - ERA has made provision for a budget for the security plan.
More people need to be co-opted onto this sub-committee
Communication and marketing
What
To contact Jenny Hatton regarding the newsletter, website and NMT To set up an interview for AA to publicise the plan in the Sunday Times Metro Section.
Comments
AC- Possibility of outsourcing.
AA - Need someone with marketing skills to help.
GH - Need more formal plan before it can be marketed - important that the articles in the NMT be catchy , helpful and progressive eg. advice on care with contracts.
AC - regarding the space in the NMT the initiative should first be readdressed, request for volunteers made and the possible merge with Greenside to be mentioned.
Comments
HR - tender should be as wide as possible, sift out those not wanted and then request proposals from the others.
RC - important to have a degree of formality to prevent allegations of corruption therefore need a set of formal procedures.
AA - the security companies chosen will need to belong to the Association for Security Companies.
GH - once the Request for Proposal is ready ERA to place an advert in the NMT and all other local Caxton newspapers stating the time and place where it will be available for perusal.
Date of next meeting
The next meeting is to take place on Wednesday May 17th 2006 at 19h00 at the Mosque.
