The presence of SAPS Overberg District Commissioner, and Deputy District Commissioner Brigadier Donovan Heilbron, at the Barrydale CPF District Imbizo on April 13 confirmed how serious the crime situation in Barrydale has become.
“I phoned Warrant Officer Braaf (Barrydale SAPS acting station commander at the time) because there was a red flag. It is unheard of that a house break-in is recorded in Barrydale each and every day,” said Heilbron.
Heilbron asked Braaf what his plan of action was and how SAPS at District level could help.
This phone call initiated the need for drastic action and subsequently a suspect who is believed to be responsible for many of the break-ins that took place over the Easter Weekend period, was arrested.
“The officers here made an arrest and the suspect happened to be a house breaker who was out on parole,” Heilbron said.
Although there was an immediate decline in house break-ins following this arrest, it was by no means the end of lawlessness in Barrydale.
Heilbron and his team are now assessing the situation and promised to provide feedback within 14 days of the meeting.
In this time, they vowed to find solutions to the three/four known drug houses in town, the six to eight illegal Spaza shops and, perhaps the most important of all, the youth that are resorting to crime.
In an attempt to try and solve the youth issue, Graham Abbott of the Barrydale Tourism office said that more should be done to create activities for the youth over weekend.
Unofficial Crime Stats January 1 – April 6 2024: House Burglaries 21, Trespassing 63, Theft various 11, Robbery and violence 4.
News62 was informed that the latest robbery took place on the evening of April 14.
This publication has also requested accurate crime stats to be presented to the community on a monthly basis. This request was received by the office of the Brigadier, Premier Alan Winde and several other important roleplayers.
In the meantime, members of the recently-formed Barrydale Neighbourhood Watch compiled a memorandum of concerns and suggested solutions, from a community perspective, that they handed over to the Brigadier at the Imbizo.
Hospice Staff Targeted
She officially started working at Barrydale Hospice on April 1, and yet in this short space of time Sister Nickie Crookes is as concerned about the escalating crime issue as life-long Barrydalers are.
“I’m really saddened to see what is happening here and I’d like to urge all of us to do something as soon as we can,” said Crookes at the community engagement event.
She explained at the Imbizo that the sisters who play such a vital role in providing frail care to residents who are living their last days, no longer feel safe to do their duties.
“Very sadly, our nursing sisters’ cars are being broken into, our offices are being broken into,” she said. “The things that are being stolen are the very things we need to help the community.”
A Big Blow for Tourism
Many of the house break-ins took place at guest houses and on this front Louise Pharo, a guesthouse owner, said that she fears that guests who were subjected to these situations will be telling the world what is happening in Barrydale.
“There used to be a perception that Barrydale is a place where you can leave your car outside and a window open to enjoy the fresh country air – those days are over (for NOW).”
She spoke of two incidents that took place that resulted in more than R20 000 in damages and the truth of the matter is that this is not an isolated occurrence.
Fellow guest house owner Dan Brownlow was subjected to three break-ins over two months last year.
Barrydale CPF Calls for a Unified Barrydale
Barrydale CPF chairman John Nortje highlighted that the lack of visible policing is at the heart of the crime influx and urged residents to unite in finding solutions to this problem.
“We are not used to crime in Barrydale,” he said.
Echoing Graham Abbott’s sentiments, Nortje indicated that he is a firm believer in sport as a solution to criminal activities amongst the youth stating: ‘A child in sport is a child out of court.’
Ruanda van Rooyen, representing the Barrydale Neighbourhood watch, shared Nortje’s perspective and encouraged residents to build relationships outside of heir comfort zone.
“We do not live in the past, we can’t change the past, but we can change how we move forward,” said Van Rooyen.
No more excuses
In the best indication that excuses will no longer be tolerated, District Commissioner Major General Mochologi did not mince her words when addressing the management of Barrydale SAPS.
While she praised the officers who made the very important arrest, she said that “things cannot just happen when I’m coming to town or in the week ahead of an Imbizo.”
She asked Barrydale SAPS Station Commander Captain Jacques Carolus why there was a lack of visible policing.
Captain Carolus indicated that Barrydale SAPS has three vehicles – one for VISPOL and two for the detectives.
When the detectives are off duty, one vehicle is allocated to the standby officer while the third is parked at the station.
Major General Mochologi said that the third should be used to ensure that the excuse that there is ‘no vehicle to attend complaints’, cannot be used.
Captain Carolus confirmed that while he was on his annual leave this last week the third vehicle was operational.
Residents also raised their concern that Captain Carolus might not always be aware of what is transpiring in town because he is not a Barrydale resident – the station commander resides in Ladismith some 72km away, clearly creating a challenge to having his finger on the pulse of the village’s crime issues.
To this point Bridadier Heilbron said that it is not always possible for a station commander to reside in the town he/she serves and that the allocation of police housing is decided at national level.
In Barrydale there just so happens to be a house in Tinley Street that is owned by the department of public works. This property, although now occupied, has previously housed detectives and has also stood vacant for periods of 18 months and longer.
