GSCID Patrolman, Mzukisi Mbali and Dave the Borzoi, with grateful owner Cindy Chaitel

Rondesbosch resident. Cindy Chaitel has GSCID patrolman, Mzukisi Mbali, to thank that her pet Borzoi, Dave, a 45kg dog, standing almost two metres tall, is still alive and well. Cindy explains that it was early one Wednesday morning when she opened the gate to put her refuse bin out that Dave took the opportunity to bolt outside. He sped up the road in the direction of Main Road which was bumper to bumper with early morning peak traffic. She immediately gave chase screaming “my dog, my dog” at the top of her voice. A kind neighbour, Lance, joined the chase, but the determined canine continued charging ahead. Cindy says: “I had visions of a car hitting Dave and I was absolutely frantic to get to him and get him to safety.”

She knew that he was probably heading for the Liesbeek River trail as this is where she regularly runs, but despite her and her neighbour’s hot pursuit, they could still not catch up with Dave. At one point they successfully nabbed the errant canine, but this did not last long as Dave gave his pursuers the slip, disengaging from his collar.

Enter one brave patrolman, Mzukisi, who within seconds summed up the situation and gave chase himself. As the area is his regular beat and he is familiar with the roads, Mzukisi soon realised that he was not going to catch up with the energetic canine from behind and changed tack to intercept the dog from another direction.

Mzukisi picked up his pace to catch up with Dave and when within reach, leaped upon him and managed to hold him down. “I wasn’t scared. I just patted him and tried to calm him down until his owner could reach us.”

A very grateful Cindy say: “I was most impressed with the manner in which Mzukisi fearlessly gave chase. Dave is not a small dog and most people would find him intimidating. I am so thankful that Mzukisi was able to stop Dave and capture him as the possible outcome could have been disastrous. He went beyond the call of duty by assisting me in my predicament.”

A beaming Mzukisi said: “I was happy to be able to help as I myself have a pet dog and can quite understand how anxious Cindy must have been feeling.”

 Mzukisi has worked for the GSCID for eight months since it started operating on the streets of the Groote Schuur Community Improvement District on 1 September last year.

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The Groote Schuur CID also received two ‘horse boxes’ to be used as satellite GSCID offices in places of high visibility for public awareness.  

The two trailers, which were generously sponsored by UCT, have been deployed in the Rondebosch and Mowbray business areas. The public are encouraged to use the offices as information centres to report any sort of crime they might be aware of or if they need assistance trying to find something, such as a street name or a flat or business.  Said Anthony Davies, Executive Director of the Groote Schuur CID: “Enormous thanks must go to UCT for sponsoring these horse box offices. Without their generous contribution we would not have been able to initiate these additional measures.”

Feedback from the public and the SAPS on the deployment of these highly visible offices was particularly good over the festive season as they also play a big role in helping to reduce crime.

GSCID Chief Executive Officer,  Anthony Davies,  seen here at the media launch of the GSCID on 1 September, alongside one of the brightly branded GSCID patrol vehicles and an Orbis security patrolman in the new GSCID uniform worn by the security patrol officers.