Jeffreys Bay’s new official Car Guard program is proving to really make a difference.
Dozens of informal car guards in the resort town of Jeffreys Bay were told to stop operating by the Kouga municipality as part of a clampdown.
More than 60 car guards were banned by the municipality and replaced with new official guards. The municipality says they were either drunk on duty or had criminal records.
The clampdown in Jeffreys Bay is part of a pilot project to be extended to other towns in the municipality, including Humansdorp, GroundUp reported earlier this year.
Kouga Executive Mayor Elza van Lingen said: “Car guards have been getting out of hand in Jeffreys Bay. Shortly after the municipal elections we promised residents that we would clamp down on illegal car guards.”
The municipality was in the process of training and registering new car guards who would work with the local police and private security companies. Official car guards could be identified by their bright yellow caps with the words “J-BAY CAR GUARD” written on them, she said.
“This has enabled the municipality’s law enforcement officers, in co-operation with the local security companies and the police, to act against illegal car guards,” said Van Lingen.
And the change-over seems to be making a massive difference.
Just yesterday, JBay News reported that threatening car theft was stopped in it’s tracks by the new regulated parking attendant (car guard) programme.
“The incident happened when two parking attendants, noticed men with what looked like electric car-jamming devices circling a car which had parked earlier. They also noticed there was a sedan parked across the road from the parking lot, with its occupants paying close attention to the action.
One of the men volunteered to keep an eye on the car while the other rushed to contact the police, municipal law enforcement and private security.
The two suspects and their get-away-car were quickly arrested and remain in custody.”
Kouga Executive Mayor Elza van Lingen said this was one of the good results of having legal and regulated parking attendants in the holiday town.
The municipality was in the process of training and registering new car guards who would work with the local police and private security companies. Official car guards could be identified by their bright yellow caps with the words “J-BAY CAR GUARD” written on them, she said.
“The car guard programme is part of our efforts to do make Jeffreys Bay safer. Our area depends heavily on tourism for job creation.”
“It is therefore our hope that this programme will help to increase visitor numbers, creating more job opportunities for locals.”
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