CCTV among solutions sought to curb hostel crime

A CCTV control room, drug and substance abuse programme and a vacancy control plan are some of the initiatives to be implemented to reduce the crime problem at the Glebelands Community Residential Unit (CRU).

Following years of increasing violence at the hostel, eThekwini Municipality and other governmental structures have contrived plans to bring peace. These plans were presented at an executive committee meeting on Tuesday, 17 November by community and emergency services deputy city manager, Dr Musa Gumede.

Concerning the wave of recent murders, Dr Gumede said police have had a lot of successes with a number of cases going to court.

Many actions have been taken to improve security at the CRU and plans are being developed to include a CCTV control room and another five high definition CCTV cameras with private security monitoring the area.

A drug and substance abuse programme, along with the Qalakabusha Programme (addressing social ills), community dialogues and social policing through volunteers, the municipality hopes to recognise social and other problems facing their bid to reduce crime.

Bed allocation has been named as one of the primary causes of the conflict as residents fight for any vacancies. Dr Gumede said overcrowding played a role in this, but they have had some success, with 11,380 tenants being registered. A plan to improve the infrastructure and implementation process to allocate vacant replacement beds is being developed to alleviate this problem.

Upgraded living conditions, reinforced security features and visible security, upgraded lighting in nine of the blocks and some public areas and the removal of shacks and containers are some of the other interventions meant to improve the living conditions of the CRU.

A social and environmental crime prevention campaign with a ‘clean, green and safe’ campaign will include the rehabilitation of the swimming pool, resurfacing the tennis court and other garden maintenance.