To ‘watch’, means to keep guard, to be vigilant, alertly on the lookout, attentive to what is done or happens in the community, to tend, and to oversee.
The vision of FBW Community Forum is a progressive, well-maintained, safe, and diverse community/neighbourhood, which provides a home for residents; a stable working environment for responsible businesses; and striving towards sustainability.
The ‘Executive’ Committee members, elected 18 June 2024, include Chairperson – John Kirsten, Vice Chairperson – Divan Snyman, Treasurer – Wim Schönfeldt, Secretary – Grizelda Smith, Community Liaison – Margaret Richardson
Photo sourced: Roodepoort Record 28 June 2024 | Roodepoort Record (citizen.co.za)
The purpose, general aims and objectives of the FBW Community Forum are:
- Initiatives to support the wellbeing and improve the FBW Community Forum area, from safety and security of streets to keeping our parks clean and tidy
- To represent the community in its relationship with the local authorities and to help facilitate engagement between the residents who resides in the community, owns, or rents property, or operates a business within the area, and local authorities
- Social media alerts, reporting, escalation of faults and updates pertaining municipal services, i.e. loadshedding and planned or unplanned power outages (City Power), refuse removal (Pikitup), water interruptions and leakages (Johannesburg Water), fallen trees and grass cutting (City Parks Department), etc.
- To co-operate and liaise with other organisations to further the objectives of FBW Community Forum and its members
- Securing of electrical switching stations, sub-station, mini-subs, etc.
- Authorisation obtained from City Power to secure Switching Stations (SWS) with alarms and armed response. Members of the FBW Community Forum contributed to complete phase 1.
- Phase 2 entailed securing some 52 Mini Sub Stations (MSS) with a specialized locking device and weld down the top hat of the MSS, commenced 22 July 2023. Only those for which no funding has been received remain to be secured.
- Repairs of traffic lights, road maintenance, speed control where feasible, etc.
- Investigate (with the help of private security companies) suspicious vehicles, activities and loitering of individuals.
- To provide a platform through physical meetings and online to share information pertaining the community and solving problems in the community.
- To set up ad hoc committees and/or task teams as required to represent residents on specific issues, as required, or to achieve specific goals such as clean-up initiatives, such as Len Rutter Park, mowing and cleaning of pavements, and kerb skoffeling.