Residents gathered at Weltevreden Park Primary School on May 14 for the Welridge Residents Association (WRA) annual general meeting, where updates were shared on crime trends, infrastructure challenges, financial management and community safety initiatives.

“We’ve had a busy and productive year with several planned projects moving toward completion,” said chairperson George Carney said.

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He highlighted ongoing greenbelt maintenance work, including drainage improvements and environmental rehabilitation following recent heavy rains. He also noted continued challenges with municipal service delivery, particularly power outages affecting parts of the suburb.

On crime and security, Ruan Kilian presented statistics showing a significant decline in reported incidents.
“If we look at armed robberies from the last year, it actually declined,” Kilian said, adding that several crime categories showed improvement, including vehicle-related theft and attempted hijackings.

However, he warned that crime remains a concern and urged residents to report all incidents to SAPS to strengthen crime tracking and policing responses.

Kilian also outlined the success of the community camera system, now upgraded under Beagle Watch. Plans to expand surveillance into the greenbelt and key access routes are also being considered.

Financial updates were presented by Wim Pienaar, who confirmed that the association remains in a strong financial position. He also spoke about the WRA’s operating earnings budget and the camera expansion project costs.

Website improvements were shared by Rolf Butcher, who explained that a new resident login system is being developed.

“Everything’s been going well, we’ve got everything up and running,” he said.

Audrey Vrachionidis provided greenbelt feedback, confirming that plans are underway to repair and rebuild sections of the embankment damaged during floods in March 2025, with the Johannesburg Roads Agency preparing gabion structures to stabilise the affected areas.

She also mentioned that Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo have served the WRA well in maintenance of the parks and that they were negotiating with the utility to remove dead and fallen trees from the parks.

A special moment during the evening included the recognition of local security service providers. The WRA awarded certificates to Beagle Watch and EC Security in appreciation of their continued service to the community. The WRA also gave a R5 000 voucher to the CPF to thank and support them for their ongoing work in the area.

Mike Johnson gave an update on JoburgCAN, describing it as an OUTA-affiliated civic organisation with a focus on service delivery advocacy and municipal accountability. He also shared that the WRA is an affiliate member of the platform.
To add a light-hearted moment to the evening, there was a raffle draw, where residents won various prizes.

The meeting concluded with an election for a new committee, but residents showed their support for the current one, which will continue its term following the vote of confidence.