Vision for Umhlanga: The Vision for Umhlanga as a premier lifestyle and investment destination is unfolding. The Umhlanga Promenade and Village Urban Improvement Precincts (UIPs) and Associate Areas: Northern Promenade Properties, Southern Promenade Properties and Park to Park will shortly have the best managed and safest public areas in the country, if not already!
The aim of the UIPs and Associate Areas is to ensure that the standard of public areas in Umhlanga enhances quality of life, business vitality and private property values.
Umhlanga: A vision for the future!
There are 60 properties and complexes participating in the UIPs and Associated Managed Areas representing about R5 billion in value (municipal evaluation roll).
Statistics show that the UIP approach to the management of public areas, in partnership with the municipality, will be reflected in property values and business vitality by out-performing those areas under siege from urban decay. Urban decay threatens quality of life and property values. There is no correlation between the rand value of municipal rates paid and service levels, i.e. service levels are governed by municipal policy, which provides for a set service level throughout the municipality. Therefore, municipal service levels to prime areas will not deliver to expectation.
For this reason, the UIPs and Associated Areas have been established to fill the gap in service delivery to public areas to ensure the expected level of safety and quality of public areas in Umhlanga.
Umhlanga: Partnerships are key to the future:
Areas which have not set up UIPs are generally faced with urban decay, which is a deterioration of infrastructure, public areas and green environments. This downward spiral of crime, anti-social behaviour and grime negatively impacts on quality of life, business vitality and property values.
Governance
The UIPs or Special Ratings Areas (SRAs) are defined geographic areas, represented by a Section 21 Company, whose board of directors is constituted by committed property owners. The UIPs aim at ensuring that the standard of public areas in Umhlanga enhances quality of life, business vitality and private property values. This is achieved by providing professionally delivered supplementary services, which are funded by UIP/SRA levies contributed by owners through the municipal billing system. Each Associate Managed Area has a management committee constituted by owners, who fulfil the same roles as that of the UIP boards. Managed Areas provide the same supplementary services as the UIP, however they are funded by privately collected levies.
Details on governance and functions
Managed Areas Expanding
New areas are linking with the Promenade and Village UIPs, with benefit for all – the UIP has successfully assisted neighbouring properties to unite in Associate Areas, motivated by the understanding that we need to push crime and urban decay away from our boundaries.
There are 48 properties on the entire promenade, with only one property not as yet participating. Practically, this means that the entire promenade and village are covered by one integrated security and cleaning and greening team.
The Northern Promenade Properties (NPP), have formalising their Associated Area, with 12 of 13 properties contributing to security, cleaning and greening services provided by the UIP. Feedback on improved safety and service levels on the NPP have been very positive.
All of the Southern Promenade Properties are contributing to security, cleaning and greening services provided by the UIP.
Park to Park are contributing to security and beach cleaning services provided by the UIP service providers. They have improved lighting and signage and are busy with a substantial dune rehabilitation project which, is seeing an increase in birds and wildlife.
Safety and Security
Some interesting crime stats for the 12 months to September 2010 – based on incidents reported to the UIP: Umhlanga Promenade and Village UIP, Southern Promenade Properties, Northern Promenade Properties, Park to Park.
- UIP arrests and hand over to SAPF/Metro Police: 43
- UIP call outs to SAPF/Metro Police: 123
- SAPF/Metro/UIP security ops in precincts: 23
Contact crimes:
- Murder: 0
- Attempted murder: 1
- Assault (grievous bodily harm): 8
- Armed robbery firearm: 3
- Bag snatching: 8
Other:
- House break-in and theft: 6
- Business break-in and theft: 11
- Theft out of motor vehicle: 10
12 months to September 2010: By-law enforcement:
Promenade and beach:
- No drinking in public: 591
- No public indecency: 59
- No fishing in prohibitive areas: 93
- No swimming after hours: 86
- Suspicious persons questioned: 69
Lagoon Drive, McCausland Crescent and Village:
- No drinking in public: 233
- No public indecency: 14
- Illegal car guards removed: 107
- Suspicious persons questioned: 69
Building partnerships with SAPF, Metro Police and the Community Policing Forum is critical to ensuring a Safe Umhlanga – the UIP has a strong working relationship with both Metro Police and SAPF, resulting in a Safer Umhlanga.
Umhlanga is Safer – A significant achievement has been improved safety in the UIP and Associated Areas over the past 12 months. We now have some of the safest public areas that can be found anywhere in the country.
Including all 60 properties, representing more than 2 500 sectional title units, in six months only two house break-ins were reported. Contact crimes and house and business break-ins are noticeably down from a year ago. However, there is always room for improvement. Issues such as illegal car guards, graffiti, illegal traders and other urban social challenges, are to a large degree under control with the UIP on the ground 24/7, supporting Metro Police.
UIP security resourcing
The UIP security provider is Enforce Security Services. Since appointment on November 1, 2009, they have delivered a safer Umhlanga with a professional, proactive approach to securing public areas.
UIP resources include:
- UIP Emergency Number 086 111 2050
- Dedicated and capacitated security manager
- Village Green security office open 24/7
- UIP dedicated reaction vehicle
- UIP dedicated golfcart patrolling the promenade
- A Grade A shift supervisor is on duty 24/7
- UIP night security officers in public areas: 15
- UIP day security officers in public areas: 8
“Bobby-on-the-beat” UIP security officers have increased in number:
Over the past 12 months there has been a substantial increase in the number of “bobby-on-the-beat” UIP security officers, who are all in constant radio contact. This is primarily attributed to the establishment of the Associated Managed Areas, which has expanded safe areas to the benefit of all.
Very importantly, the integration of these security officers with the 11 Enforce serviced private property sites has proved very effective, with additional eyes and ears on the ground. This integration has led to a number of arrests.
Additional security services – thanks to an additional voluntary contribution from the Cabana Beach and Umhlanga Sands for the 2010 / 2011, more on-ground security services are being rolled out, including Security Officers and a CCTV system for the taxi rank.
Integrating UIP and private security – the UIP hosts a monthly Security Forum Meeting attended by private security companies servicing UIP properties, with the aim of proactively improving the level of security in the UIP precincts through integration, sharing intelligence, statistics and ensuring operational assistance in emergencies.
2010 UIP Management Team:
UIP project leader Brian Wright: 083 324 3367; brian@urbanmgt.co.za
UIP security / operational manager Dewet Geldenhuys: 084 429 8523, dewetg@enforce.co.za
Source: Umhlanga Promenade and Village UIP Northern and Southern Promenade Properties and Park to Park 2010 Review.