SRA: Info About the Sundowner Residents Association

INFO: ABOUT THE SUNDOWNER RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION

At present, the Residents in Sundowner are enjoying a relatively crime free existence despite the rising of crime in neighbouring areas. This is largely as a result of the efforts of the Sundowner Residents Association (SRA) funded by paying members. To achieve this success, the SRA contracts the services of an effective security company, Securitas, who provides both proactive and reactive security in the suburb. As the SRA operates completely as a non-profit organization with committee members serving on a voluntary basis, it is the paying members that form the basis of our financial support. Obviously then, the more paying members the more effective the service can be. To this end, voluntary members will be visiting non-paying residents on a recruitment drive for the association to boost the income of the SRA.

Activities and benefits of the SRA include:

24 hour access control, booms manned by trained security officers at all access points into the Sundowner area at Apollo, Denne, Taurus and Roan streets. Each boom has fully equipped guard huts complete with emergency communications, toilets, electricity and water.
24 hour dedicated monitoring and reaction vehicle, including backup vehicles.
Proactive and reactive security service.
Radio alarm link to your alarm system with armed reaction and monitoring included in the SRA fee. This excludes the installation fee of radio and annual license fee payable to Securitas.
24 hour cell phone contact to the Securitas reaction vehicle.
Proactive monitoring prevented a number of crimes taking place.
Reactive instances resulted in a number of crimes being foiled.

What successes has the SRA had?

The SRA has been instrumental in dramatically and effectively reducing crime in the Sundowner area.
In 2009, there were only 10 incidents of crime (This is against a backdrop of ever increasing traffic flow and 300 new residents moving into new complexes in the area as well as crime increase in neighbouring areas).
Crime statistics show that nearby neighbouring suburbs have upwards of 20 incidents per month.

The following table indicates the reduction in crime over the past few years:

1996 – 101 1997 - 128 1998 – 159 1999 – 160 2000 – 109 2001 – 59 2002 – 41 2003 – 30 2004 – 16 2005 – 11 2006 – 10 2007 – 8 2008 – 9 2009 - 10

We CANNOT afford to become complacent about crime and need ensure that continued success of the SRA.
Our aim is to be a “ZERO CRIME” area.

How is the SRA funded?

Obviously, these benefits do come at a financial cost.
We rely on the support of the residents to ensure the success and sustainability of the SRA.
In order to ensure that premiums remain affordable we are dependent on the contribution of ALL residents.
Currently 65% of residents are paying members of the SRA!

What will it cost the member?

The monthly cost is currently R480 per freestanding household (The rates for townhouse complexes are dependant on the size of the complex, and whether or not they request a drive through service.)
In order to keep the fee affordable, we need to ensure that more residents join the SRA.
Dependant on new members signing up, we may even be able to reduce this fee in future.

How does a resident sign up?

The preferred method of payment is by debit order. (See Membership Page)
Please contact Anne Koppenaal or the Securitas Patrol Vehicle.
If you are selling your property, or aware of new neighbours moving into the area we kindly request that you inform the buyer about the SRA and the costs and benefits associated therewith.

How do we control this situation in our suburb without the necessary funds and the financial support of all residents in Sundowner? In short we cannot. We need more membership support Everything we do, costs money except for the time which the SRA committee devotes to the suburb free of charge. Crime does not keep office hours, security has to be 24 hours both proactive and reactive. Do not compare reactive only services to the SRA.
Just imagine the scenario if all of the Sundowner booms, guards, reaction vehicle plus fencing and road closures were to be removed. Where would our crime stats be?? The answer can be seen by just observing other suburbs that do not have these facilities.

Crime in the surrounding suburbs is on the increase and this could easily be the case in Sundowner. The Honeydew police are seriously understaffed. The police alone are under resourced we the community, therefore, have to take responsibility for our own security. Just a few minutes can make the difference between a life and death circumstance.

By the way, we also maintain the park in Taurus, the area around the post boxes at the Sundowner Shopping Centre, the koppie , park where the ducks and geese live, Drysdale on the right towards the Spar, garden and cutting of grass in Apollo Road, cutting of grass at the back of the houses along Northumberland, garden in Denne. This and much more is all accomplished with SRA staff and equipment and managed by the SRA Office.

Estate agents operating in Sundowner are quick to mention the SRA benefits and the security provided in the suburb which adds additional value to all the properties including yours.

If you are already a paying member, please inform those who are not members about what we are achieving in our area and encourage them to join. Remember the more members on board the lower the levy or the more that can be achieved.

MISSION OF THE SRA: "TO CREATE A SOUGHT AFTER SUBURB THAT IS SAFE, SECURE AND CRIME FREE"

The objectives of the Sundowner residents Association (SRA) are as follows:

To assist the authorities in the maintenance of peace, security and the well being of all residents in the SRA neighbourhood.
To carry out all legal measures deemed necessary to reduce crime and establish and maintain relative security procedures in accordance with the needs of the residents of the area.
To work in close co-operation with the SAPS, CPF and any other body to achieve objectives.
To assess the needs of our community and act thereon.
To promote strong community spirit, co-operation and awareness.
To suggest and promote improvements in policies and administration and to promote or oppose policy making or other regulations affecting SRA or any of its members or to contribute to the promotion or the opposing thereof.

The objectives of the SRA are restricted to crime prevention.

As members of a specific community we share common interests and are all affected by events within our borders. We can however make a difference to the safety, security and well being of our families if we work together to achieve common goals!

We hope that this web site would encourage a higher level of awareness amongst ourselves and enhance the contribution each of us can make to enhance the quality of life we deserve as a community.

Thank you to all paying members for your faithful contributions! Due to your participation, we have been able to provide the necessary services to successfully in combat crime in our community for many years now!

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Landscaping at Sundowner Entrances


Committed to Supporting Safety Consciousness in the Suburb of Sundowner