Today and Saturday 19 May, 4th Street in Parkhurst will be witness to Tracker taking back tomorrow with people wearing sandwich boards and handing out flyers stating: “Welcome to Park Hurts. Park a street up and protect your vehicle with an invisible Car Guard from Tracker.”

The campaign is to promote Tracker SMS Car Guard as a money-saving and peace-of-mind initiative, allowing Tracker SkyTrax customers to proactively protect what’s theirs without having to fork out R8 an hour for line of sight parking. Patrons of Parkhurst’s shops and restaurants will be able to park wherever they choose, knowing Tracker is keeping an eye on their vehicle, even when they can’t.
Tracker SkyTrax customers can lock their car’s position at any time of day by SMSing the registration number to 47150 when they park their car, and sending another SMS to deactivate the service when they leave the parking spot. If their car moves during the interim, Tracker will immediately alert them. But keep in mind any instance of hi-jacking or car theft must be reported to Tracker before a recovery unit is dispatched.

First-time users of SMS Car Guard and SkyTrax customers must first activate the Car Guard function on the SkyTrax website and ensure that they register the cellular numbers that are to have access to the SMS services, including SMS Position Request and Car Guard. Tracker’s invisible Car Guard is only available for the vehicle registrations that appear on the Web login. SMS Car Guard can be activated when the ignition is turned off. Should the ignition be turned on before the function is deactivated by SMS, an SMS notification will be sent. An SMS will also be sent if any Stolen Vehicle Recovery alarm occurs, or the battery is disconnected.

The SMS Car Guard service is charged at R2 per SMS regardless of how long the car is parked and is available to Cell C, Vodacom and MTN customers at this time, ensuring Tracker customers peace of mind, wherever they choose to park in South Africa. Bronwynn Tippett, Marketing Manager for Tracker says “By offering motorists an alternative to metered parking, we’re also giving them an outlet to exercise their free will and make a statement by reclaiming the city’s streets.” Tracker supports a consultive and inclusive approach to change and is proud to be helping their customers engage in this process whilst taking back their right to the freedom to park where they choose.

After kicking off in Parkhurst, the Tracker campaign will be extended to other popular Johannesburg suburbs affected by the City’s controversial new paid-parking system, where visitors will be charged R8 for an hour’s parking, such as Melville, Rosebank and Fordsburg.

Visit www.tracker.co.za or call 0860 60 50 40 for more information.

South Africa observes International Workers Day on 1 May as a public holiday. Workers’ Day, also known as May Day, originated within the historical struggles of workers and their trade unions for solidarity between working people, and in their struggles to achieve fair employment standards.

This included the need to establish a culture of human and worker rights which are enshrined in international law and the national law of the countries aligned to the International Labour Organisation, of which South Africa is a member.

In South Africa, Workers Day has been officially observed since 1994. The government remains committed to ensure the welfare and good conditions of service for workers.

To achieve this, government has put in place progressive labour legislation and key programmes in line with the Constitution. Labour law prevents discrimination, including workplace discrimination.

Currently, the Department of Labour is in the process of amending the Labour Relations Act to deal with the increase in labour brokering and, in particular, with the abuses associated with the practice and the way in which it deprives many workers of basic protection under labour law.

The LRA, 1995 supports the primacy of collective agreements and emphasises the need for organised labour and business to regulate its relationship by entering into collective agreements. Registered unions and employer organisations may establish bargaining councils, as statutory bodies established by the LRA, 1995, within a specific economic sector. They represent the centre piece of the bargaining system. The replacement of the Conciliation Board by the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) signals a shift from a highly adversarial model of relations to one based on promoting greater cooperation, industrial peace and social justice.

South Africa has established specialist labour courts. These courts exist side by side with traditional courts. The labour courts generally exercise exclusive jurisdiction over specialist labour matters. The Labour Court of South Africa has exclusive jurisdiction over all matters reserved for it under the LRA, 1995.

To achieve racial reconciliation, South Africa is addressing unemployment, inequality, ownership of companies and other socio-economic factors that are responsible for antagonism in our communities.

- When driving home or to a business appointment, make sure that you are not being followed. This is particularly important after leaving a bank or shopping centre as hijackers will often ‘shop’ for their victims. This means that not only will they get your car, but they will have seen what other valuables you may have (jewelry, cellphones, money etc) and will act accordingly in taking those from you as well. This is a particularly important point when considering that some victims deny that they have any money on them, when the hijackers have just seen them withdraw money from the bank. In these instances, the victim may unintentionally put their lives in further danger by angering their attackers.

- If you live in a home or complex with an electric gate, try not to pull in front of the gate while you are waiting for it to open. The reason for this is simple. If hijackers are following you (or lying in wait for you), they will ‘box’ you in (often by parking behind you) and you will be hijacked. We strongly advise that you park parallel to your house while you are waiting for your gate to open. This way, if a suspicious looking vehicle pulls up behind you, you can simply drive away (and head towards the local police station).

- If you are about to pull into your driveway and there is a vehicle behind you, drive around the block. This may seem paranoid, but many of our clients report that they were hijacked by the car driving directly behind them. Driving around the block may not always be possible, particularly if you stay on a busy road, but trust your instincts. If the vehicle behind you is making you uncomfortable, drive past your home and take a detour. If the car follows, then keep driving to the nearest police station. In this case, we advise you to hoot and flash your lights – drawing as much attention to your vehicle as possible. It is highly unlikely that a hijacker will continue to follow you under these circumstances.

· Clear away all unnecessary foliage around your front gate and keep your front yard well lighted. Dogs are a good idea – normally if they’re not at the front gate it might indicate a problem. Circular security mirrors that enable you to see either side of your wall are also a good idea. Palisade fencing is wonderful for improved visibility.

· Lock your car doors when travelling. Tracker personnel are always taken aback by the number of people who are hijacked as a result of their doors being unlocked in transit.

· Let your loved ones know your travel schedule so that they can react in the event of you not arriving at your destination within a reasonable time frame.

· If you live at a complex, be weary of strange people standing at the main intercom next to the front gate. Hijackers sometimes pose as visitors trying to get hold of someone inside the complex and when you pull up to the gate, they turn around and hijack you. Rather drive around the block. If the person is still there five minutes later … ask yourself why?

· Beach goers and surfers should try and avoid keeping their car keys hidden under their towels while unattended as criminals are often watching for these ‘soft target’ opportunities.

· Lock up early and don’t linger. When you arrive home, lock away your vehicle as soon as possible. Don’t wait until you’re ready to go to bed. You will be amazed at how brazen some vehicle criminals are.

· If you have friends or family visiting your house, say your goodbyes inside your home and allow them to leave your property quickly. Hijackers love scenarios when people are standing by their cars on their pavements, with children running around. Not only are you a soft target in this case, but your attackers might – in addition to hijacking you – decide to mug everyone and go back into your home as well.

Always try to maintain a gap between yourself and the car in front of you when stopping at an intersection. This affords you a critical escape route in an emergency situation.

· Never allow yourself to be distracted at either the driver’s window or a passenger window – this is a classic hijacking tactic. And remember, women are hijackers as well. Tracker has encountered several incidents of female hijackers over the past two years. Hijackers are known to use women as a distraction tactic.

We genuinely hope that this venture will not only nurture future sports stars, but give our youth a more constructive pastime and keep them safe and fit, both mentally and physically.

Tracker, helping our youth to reach for the stars and taking back tomorrow.

We would like to thank all our staff, shareholders, partners, suppliers and customers for the unwavering support and faith they have shown in us during this period of uncertainty. “We can now return our full attention to what matters most to us – the business of protecting lives, creating value for our customers and helping to ‘Take back tomorrow’ for all South Africans,” says  Tracker’s Chief Executive Officer, Alan Hutcheson.

A Tracker recovery team, returning from a meeting with the Cape Town Flying Squad yesterday afternoon, has managed to bring down two members of an armed gang alleged to have stolen money from the Conradie Hospital in Pinelands.

The drama unfolded shortly after noon when the two-member Tracker team noticed a vehicle leaving the hospital’s parking lot at an unusually high speed. Trusting their instincts they decided to follow the vehicle which, within a few kilometres, joined up with a white Toyota Hilux. It was at this point that the team contacted the police for support. As they continued to drive behind the vehicles through the suburb of Thornton, the driver of the Toyota Hilux realized they were being followed and tried to speed away. The Mazda then drove off in a different direction and the Tracker members decided to remain behind the Hilux as it appeared to contain at least six people. The pursuit ended a few minutes later when the Hilux drove into a field in Pinelands and smashed into a tree. The suspects immediately fled from the vehicle. Tracker’s Operations Manager in the Western Cape, Pierre Carstens, then chased after two of the suspects on foot while his colleague, Rozier Truter, secured the vehicle which was found to contain a number of cell phones, hand radios, a firearm and what was believed to be the money that was stolen from the hospital.

Meanwhile, Pierre Carstens tracked one of the suspects into a house and, together with police support that had now arrived on the scene, managed to arrest the suspect. A few minutes later, the Cape Town Flying Squad apprehended a second suspect in the premises next to the house.

As they returned to the Hilux, they were informed of the robbery that had taken place at the hospital.

It’s believed that these suspects may well be linked to a spate of armed robberies in the province where victims are followed from banks after making substantial withdrawals. The Mazda 323 was later found abandoned and was discovered to have been reported stolen several weeks ago from Durbanville.

“We’re exceptionally proud of our team’s alertness to the situation and for their courage in acting decisively.  We’re also relieved that neither our members nor any of the police were hurt in the incident,” says Gareth Crocker, Tracker’s Communications Manager. “While our focus is obviously on recovering stolen and hijacked vehicles and arresting the perpetrators responsible, our teams have made dozens of arrests in recent years by just remaining vigilant during their patrols. To date, Tracker working in partnership with the SAPS has recovered more than 55 000 stolen and hijacked vehicles which has led to more than 10 000 arrests.”

When asked for a comment, Pierre Carstens was only interested in praising the police. “Within only minutes of us calling for support, we were joined by members of the Western Cape War Room, the Cape Town Flying Squad and the Dog Unit as well. We’re very proud of our partnership with the SAPS.”

For more information, please contact Tracker’s Communications Manager, Gareth Crocker, on 082 78 78 757 or gcrocker@tracker.co.za

Eco Wash uses the reliable, durable and attractive Eco Mobile Dispensing Unit (MDU). The MDU is a biodegradable unit and is not harmful to the environment, it saves water by using a minimal 300ml of liquid instead of 250 litres used in conventional car washes.

The MDU is used by one person, is not connected to water or electricity supplies and it takes about 30minutes to wash the car. The system is totally self-sufficient and is able to work all day without being refilled. Further information on the Eco Wash system is available at www.ecowash.co.za.

Koos Radebe, Director of Communications and CSI conducted the Master of Ceremonies.

Ron Knott-Craig Director: Operations at Tracker presenting the awards.

Major General Francinah Vuma

The following criteria was used:

• Number of recoveries
• Number of arrests
• Outstanding contribution in the area of vehicle crime investigation
• Outstanding efforts in coordinating recovery actions
• Outstanding contribution to the training of members

The Individual finalists were:

• Warrant Officer GM Ramsamy
• Warrant Officer J Joubert
• Warrant Officer M Pienaar
• Lt Col. Motha
• Sergeant B Hyland
• Warrant Officer M van Rooyen
• Constable G de Bruin
• Warrant Officer A du Plessis
• Warrant Officer Kleinsmidt

Best Individual member went to Warrant Office GM Ramsamy of Montclair, Durban.

Known as “Tiger”, Warrant Officer Ramsamy recovered in excess of 170 Tracker fitted vehicles, made 40 arrests and recovered 10 firearms in 2010. I interviewed “Tiger” after the presentation. One can immediately see his commitment and total dedication to his job. He was getting ready to get back home on Friday evening, as he wanted to be available to support his team.

Tiger, a modest man said “my key to success is to work hard, be there for my team and get everyone necessary involved in tracking down stolen vehicles.” He has developed comprehensive intelligence and has the uncanny knowledge of knowing where a vehicle would be taken to after it is stolen. It is this dedication, attention to detail and leadership of his team that has lead him to 40 arrests last year.

Best Unit Award went to the Gauteng tracking team lead by Captain Xolisile Mbada.

Captain Mbada’s unit made over 500 arrests and closed down more than 25 chop shops, also known as syndicates.

I spoke to Captain Mbada and his message was short and sweet, “I have a close-knit team who are motivated to catch these car thieves. Leadership and supporting my team at all times is the key to our success.”

Once again it is clear that leadership plays an important role in developing a “crack” team to take on the car thieves and hijackers.

I also got to speak to Lt Colonel Du Plessis of the Wings unit. The Wings unit consists of men and woman who fly helicopters and fixed wing planes to help coordinate the team on the ground. Speaking to Lt Col Du Plessis, he said, “The key to our success consists of two things, attitude and discipline. These pilots play a pivotal role in hunting down stolen cars and guiding the ground teams to successful arrests.

All in all it was a well-attended event and the Tracker choir entertained us during the proceedings. Here is a short clip of one of their songs.

We look forward to honouring our police officers next year for the 16^th Tracker – SAPS Awards 2012.

It would be cool if you can make it to the Johannesburg International Motor Show (JIMS), but even if you can’t you can still enter to win one of two TomTom Start²s!

All you need to do is go to the TomTom Competition tab on Tracker’s Facebook page and answer this easy question:

How many arrests is Tracker celebrating as a record milestone?

For a better chance to walk away with this stunning navigation system, Like the Tracker Facebook page and you will get a second automatic entry!

The lowdown:

• The competition runs from 8 to 16 October
• Winners to be announced October 18th
• Post the correct answer on Tracker’s Facebook TomTom Competition Page and stand a chance to win!

About the TomTom Start²

The TomTom Start² brings state of the art technology to consumers in an affordable navigation system. This tool is fully compatible with any vehicle which means that there is no complicated installation required and you will be able to hit the road immediately. TomTom Start² will not only get you to your destination faster, but it will also keep you safe thanks to advanced lane guidance.

Features of the TomTom Start²

• Compact design: 3.5’’ touch screen affords unobtrusive design and versatile placement.
• User oriented design: User friendly design and user interaction.
• Map Share Technology: Drivers can affect changes to their own maps and also benefit from thousands of corrections made to maps by fellow TomTom Start² users free of charge.
• State of the art visuals: Realistic visual instructions emulate road signs which make them easier to follow.
• Text-to-speech technology: TomTom Start² reads street names out loud which keeps the driver’s eyes on the road.

Enter Tracker’s Facebook competition and you could be the owner of one of these TomTom Start² portable navigation devices! Competition rules are available on the TomTom Competition page on Facebook.