Carol Milner, councillor for Ward 66, was one of the victims of a cash-in-transit heist at Hofland Park Recreation Centre in Bez Valley last Thursday - but came out fighting again.
As she said: "Ironically we were meant to have a crime sector meeting with the Jeppe Police at 1pm when armed men approached the vehicle collecting the little bit of cash from the community centre and held the guards and policemen, waiting for the crime sector meeting to start, at gunpoint."
They were ordered to lie down and disarmed. The robbers fled with an unknown amount of cash, some of the policemen's firearms, as well as a member of the public's car.
What then happened got Milner's feathers ruffled. "Here are some observations," a furious Milner said:
1) when one of the committee members phoned 10111 it was on voice mail
2) when she phoned the Jeppe police station they did not know where “Gofland Park” (sic) was
3) three officers from Metro Police (1 male and 2 female) left the scene and when I asked why they said a white male officer from they think serious crime or anti highjack was telling everyone they were in his way and to “f*** off” – they said they could not stay and listen to his vulgarity
4) after 1 hour and 15 minutes the resident whose car was hijacked as the getaway car asked me if SAPS was going to take his statement – disgusting
5) SAPS organised Netcare 911 to do debriefing trauma counselling for the SAPS officers and security guards but ignored the staff from council – in fact I organised for Gloria Venter to do counselling – this is sheer arrogance to ignore council staff
"I am not at all impressed with the goings on – in fact the faith I was building up has been dashed to smithereens – and this is right on the doorstep of the National Minister’s little safety enclave in Bruma," says Milner
"It was not my time to die, but it is certainly my time to continue making my voice heard." And she's firing on all guns again to get the right answers. We'll keep you posted.
Posted 21 February by
Voice your voice...
Shirley Ancer, the councillor for Observatory Ext, Dewetshof, Cyrildene etc, has arranged for a meeting at Athlone Girls High on Wednesday 7th March at 5pm to discuss the problems with the Bruma Bowling and Tennis Club, the Jukskei and whatever else the residents wish to discuss with officials and the JMPD and SAPS.
She needs to know what residents want to discuss with officials from whichever department as she doesn't want to deal with everything in one evening.
Send your suggestions and concerns to her at
Posted 21 February 2007 by
Hamba Kahle
It is with great sadness that I need to inform you that Jerry Makgomme, the staff member who looked after the cleaning and the animals in the pre-school of Sacred Heart College, passed away in the early hours of last Monday morning. There was a memorial service for Jerry on Thursday in the school's Chapel.
Jerry stayed in the flat above the pre-school so that he could look after the animals. Although we took great care to isolate the children from the procedures we needed to follow, it is inevitable that some of them may have noticed the emergency vehicle on the property.
Needless to say, the school has managed this sad event in a sensitive a way as possible and so I am writing to you to ensure that the entire community is in the know.
