• The Rondebosch Community Improvement District (RCID), a voluntary association. It remains a volunteer association of residents and is not a CID or Ratepayers Association

  • The Rondebosch Community Improvement District (RCID), a voluntary association, was formed by a group of residents in 2000.

  • Residents contracted with FADT (the current service provider in partnership with RCID) are automatically RCID members and enjoy all the benefits provided by this partnership.

    In the spirit of community, the RCID invites non-RCID members in the area to participate in all community and civic-related matters. and to a limited extent, also the benefits from the various security initiatives in the RCID.

  • The area is bounded by Campground Road from Belmont/Park intersection to Sunnybrae Road. Then from Sunnybrae Road to the canal; the canal to Oakhurst Ave; Oakhurst Ave to Ave de Mist; Ave de Mist to Belvedere/Milner intersection; Milner Road to Kromboom Road; Kromboom Road to the Black River canal; the Black River canal to Park Road; Park Road back to Campground Road.

    Click here for a map of the demarcated area of RCID in Rondebosch.

  • Five dedicated FADT vehicles dedicated to the area. These consist of two-armed response vehicles and three patrol vehicles.

    A dedicated 24/7 RCID Communications Hub. The Hub provides the Rondebosch community with a quick and important communication channel with FADT and SAPS.

    FADT controllers to monitor the RCID Communications Hub 24/7 (situated at the Riverton entrance of Bishops High School). Primarily the role of these three specially trained controllers is to monitor the RCID cameras and maintain contact with the patrol vehicles. They have direct access to the Fidelity ADT control room and Rondebosch SAPS. The staff are trained to liaise with victims of crime immediately after the incident.

    Assistance with non-emergencies, such as the Meet and Greet service and the reporting of civic matters (lights out of orders; blocked drains; potholes etc.

    The monitoring by the Hub controllers of the local street WhatsApp groups and immediate response to any emergencies or queries raised in these forums.

    Employment of a full-time RCID manager, whose main task is to attend to day-to-day operations in the area. The RCID manager reports to the RCID Committee. The current manager is Taryn Galloway. Taryn welcomes any residents to meet with her at the RCID office situated next to the Communications Hub.

  • On posting photos on groups: our policy, like areas around us, is to give information only to SAPS. Our cameras surveil public space and we have to be mindful of several bits of legislation.

    Our understanding of the City of Cape Town’s CCTV bylaw is that it requires information from public space facing cameras only to be given to SAPS. The Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) also requires one to carefully balance the need for public safety surveillance with protection of privacy rights. (Contravention of POPIA could result in criminal charges and fines of up to R10m) The safest way to stay the right side of this is again, to ensure we only use it for crime fighting and give the information only to SAPS. The Criminal Procedures Act also makes publishing the photos of arrested suspects before they appear in court – say, with your phone, at a crime scene – a criminal offense.

    Some examples other areas have pointed out to us: If no case is opened, there is no crime. Pretty much anything you post then could potentially result in a civil suit or POPIA violation. If there is an offense committed, and the image is good and gets circulated, it would invalidate any photo parade and subvert prosecution. And as discussed, publishing/posting a photo of an arrested suspect before that person appears in court could result in criminal charges. And it seems now that not just the poster of the pic could be at risk, but also the group admins and perhaps other members who comment on it.

    So how DO we use the cameras? We investigate reports of suspicious activity and send the FADT patrollers to investigate, and if necessary, SAPS is then summoned. Our cameras alert at night to people on the streets and again, the teams are sent to disrupt any possible crime. Our camera footage is requested by SAPS to assist in their investigations. Our LPR cameras work as part of a large southern suburbs network now and have enabled a number of arrests.

    Taken as a whole, it is likely that provision of footage to any person other that the Investigating Officer of an open case:

    1. Is probably illegal

    2. Could damage a future criminal case

    3. ⁠May expose individual camera owners to pressure, public criticism and disinclination to host cameras

    4. Could unwittingly place ‘fake news’ in the public domain. Eg if a picture of a ‘cloned’ number plate is broadcast, then the genuine owner (it could be you) is placed at risk

    4. ⁠Will expose 3rd parties such and CIDs and NH Watches to criticism and even prosecution.