Anthony Davies, CEO of the Groote Schuur Community Improvement District (GSCID), John Critien, Executive Director of Properties and Services at UCT and Prof. Thandabantu Nhlapo, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Cape Town at the media launch of the GSCID on 1 September 2010.

The first concrete steps by the GSCID towards assisting the SAPS in tackling crime and grime in the Groote Schuur Community Improvement District begin today, with visible security patrols and cleaning staff taking to the streets.

 Anthony Davies, CEO of the GSCID, announced today that after a tender process Orbis Security Solutions had been appointed to patrol the streets falling within the GSCID. Orbis Director Jeremy Horner said that they had already undertaken orientation training in the area with the staff that will be patrolling the GSCID. “Branded vehicles and patrolmen in uniforms will be on the streets from today,” said Horner, “Charl Brooks, formerly of the Claremont Improvement District, will be the Operations Manager of the GSCID. 

“We are happy to be on board and looking forward to the challenge,” said Horner.  “We are particularly glad to have been given a slot on the UCT Digital Radio system, which will help us to keep in close contact with other security service providers and the SAPS in the area.”

 “Cleaning staff wearing their distinctive bibs will also be deployed by Straatwerk Ophelp who have been retrained as our cleaning service providers” said Davies.  “Straatwerk Ophelp have been doing wonderful work elsewhere in Cape Town in rehabilitation and job creation of the homeless.  We are proud to announce that they have now begun to undertake this ministry on our streets said Davies.  “We are very grateful that with considerable support, both financially and in terms of active support by the University of Cape Town, we achieved our goal of obtaining the necessary number of votes from commercial property owners in the area for the formation of the GSCID.”

 The establishment of the GSCID was formally approved by a full meeting of the City Council at the end of June this year.

“This unique partnership between business people in the area that will be served by the GSCID and UCT shows the value that the university places on good neighbourliness. It also indicates a commitment to addressing crime and grime that were identified as being of major concerns to the community of Groote Schuur in a perception survey that was conducted by the university,” said Davies.

John Critien, Executive Director of Properties and Services at UCT, confirmed that the GSCID offices would be situated in Shell Court on the Main Road in Mowbray. “We are in the process of upgrading the building as part of UCT’s commitment to urban renewal. The university is very serious about its commitment to a new vision and the upliftment of this area – a new way of doing things – in the community in which it is situated and serves. We want to be part of real change in the three neighbourhoods that the GSCID straddles,” said Critien.

Davies said that the GSCID was “an innovative and pioneering project, whereby UCT is seeking to be a good neighbour to its commercial and residential neighbours. At the same time to significantly assist in providing a clean and safe environment off campus, to all stakeholders in the area. The GSCID is the first Special Ratings Area (SRA) which will initiate and support security patrols as a separately funded project outside its boundaries to benefit its neighbouring residential areas. This has been made possible by generous funding from UCT, and will be rolled out over the next six months.”

Davies said that the next step in the process was to establish the GSCID as a Section 21 Company, a process that is already underway and to elect a Chairman, directors and a Board. “We look forward to addressing these matters at a second public meeting to be held in the near future,” said Davies.