Making Sunninghill a better place

The association was initiated by the residents and businesses of Sunninghill and is registered as a non-profit company.

Head of the security branch of Sunninghill Community, Linda Gildenhuys said, “The perception of crime, grime and general environmental disorder in most urban areas has a negative impact on residents, staff, employers and the willingness of people to visit the area and thus sustain economic growth and development. This was why we started Sunninghill Community.”

The association provides the community with a number of security features. Gildenhuys said the Sunninghill Community had a total of four dedicated armed response patrol vehicles in the area. There were now 54 live monitored CCTV cameras that have been installed around the streets of Sunninghill and a direct link from the security provider, Savika Armed Responses control room to the Netcare 911 control room in case of a medical emergency. “We have also made a panic button feature for cellphones available to all our members which is linked to our security provider.”

The association is also involved in a number of projects to uplift the community of Sunninghill and outreach programmes which benefit other communities.

“The organisation arranges for potholes, road markings and robots to be repaired, installed or upgraded,” she said. The organisation also employs two traffic wardens to help during peak hour traffic congestion. “We employ staff on a continual basis to assist with removing illegal posters and to pick up litter twice a month. We are also actively involved with Friends of Sandspruit to keep Sandspruit river clear of debris and invasive vegetation.”

Gildenhuys said they had worked with Johannesburg City Parks to develop the parks in the area and had planted more than 3 500 trees in Sunninghill. “We are also actively involved in Stop Hunger Now and provide food parcels to underprivileged communities.”