Bassonia Hills now legally approved gated community
Certificates were handed over to community members who were also behind the initiative.
The Bassonia Community Forum celebrated Bassonia Hills now being a legally gated community on November 17.
Residents began discussing the possibility of closing the area two years ago, communicating through community WhatsApp groups managed by the Bassonia Community Forum.
There are 420 houses in this koppie area. To provide a secure enclosure, three intersections were identified that needed to be closed off with booms. These include the intersections of Pieter Ackroyd Avenue and Comaro Street, Skukusa Road and Karen Road, and Mount Pellan Drive and The Needles Place.
After many surveys, investigations, studies, legwork, and so much more, the Bassonia Hills road closures application was submitted to the City of Johannesburg in August 2021.
Mondeor CPF, Mondeor SAPS, as well as ward councillor Tyrell Meyers endorsed and supported the road closure application right from the start. This is after a road impact study, with a positive outcome, was completed by the Johannesburg Road Agency.
During the opening, Colonel J J Bezuidenhoudt, station commander of Mondeor SAPS, said crime is prevalent in all communities and residents are worried.
“Poor residents are more worried about crime than about poverty itself. Crime is affecting all of us and I guess that there are very few people here today who have not been affected by it. Crimes such as house invasions, house break-ins, and hijackings are prevalent in the south of Johannesburg.
“I am not only talking about Mondeor. Residents should remember that once they drive outside the boom gate, reality might strike again.
“Three factors complete a crime. If one of those three factors is missing, there is no crime. Number one, there must be a victim, number two, there must be a perpetrator, and number three, the victim must operate in a certain environment. If the environment is not conducive for a perpetrator to operate in, there will be no crime.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank and appreciate what the Bassonia community has done because you successfully changed your environment.”
Get the ball rolling
Mike Fontes, chairperson of Mondeor CPF, said: “When I became chairperson, I identified legal access control as being one of our community policing priorities and projects.
“The reason is that it relates to our main threat.”
Fontes said the prevalent crimes, historically in this precinct, are house robberies and burglaries and also vehicle-related crimes.
“I meet with a lot of communities regularly. Most communities want access control. We tell them what to do, but a lot of communities are waiting for somebody to do it for them, such as the ward councillor, or the security companies.
“Communities have to do it for themselves, and our function is to facilitate and support the process. The starting point is that a community needs to have a committee.”
Fontes highlighted that Bassonia is very lucky that they have a very well-organised and successful community forum.
“Projects like this do not just happen. They need strong champions and when I learnt who is spearheading the project, I knew that this project was going to be successful. You need ambassadors and you need champions who are not only dedicated but committed and who have the management skills to put projects like this together.
“You have achieved something that many other communities only talk about. I am asking that you assist other communities with your experience and who will need your help in terms of mentorship.
“It also takes financial sponsors, like Lencar, who have the vision to put their money behind this project. It takes a security company, like Fox Security, that is not only profit-driven but also invests in the community. Thank you to everyone who contributed and still does. I am very happy for this community and I hope that other communities will follow suit. The benefits are untold!”
