On the beat: Stellenbosch car guards co-opted by police to help improve safety

Car guards are a common sight in South Africa and a vibrant informal sector that puts food on the table for many families.

But the sector has not been without problems, with car guards often ripped off or verbally abused by motorists. They are also often blamed for similar behaviour. 

However, a new safety initiative by the Stellenbosch municipality, the police and local security companies will hopefully address some of the pressing issues that informal parking attendants face on a daily basis. 

Last week, the municipality launched an informal car guard project, the Winelands Safety Initiative, aimed, among other things, at addressing parking attendants “harassing and exploiting visitors due to their lack of knowledge about parking regulations”. 

The initiative will see at least 40 car guards, mostly from Khayamandi, fully trained in public interaction and reporting suspicious activities. They will also be vetted and screened for criminal records and strategically deployed throughout the Stellenbosch CBD. The project is being done in collaboration with the SAPS and two local security companies, ABC and AM. 

“These dedicated attendants will assist motorists with parking, diligently monitor their areas for any suspicious activities and promptly report such incidents to the municipal operational control centre, as well as the control centres of ABC and AM,” said Stellenbosch municipality spokesperson Stuart Grobbelaar. 

The guards who are part of the programme include homeless people from local shelters and people living on the streets. The attendants’ income will primarily come from motorists and surrounding businesses.

“To reduce their vulnerability to robberies, the initiative is assisting attendants to download bank apps on their cellphones for cashless transactions, an alternative to traditional cash payments,” Grobbelaar said.

To ensure their visibility, guards will be equipped with identity cards, reflective branded bibs with the words “parking attendant” prominently displayed along with the municipal control room number.

“A community safety app, Buzzer, will also allow seamless and structured communication between attendants and their security partners,” Grobbelaar said. “Partnering security companies have expressed their intent to consider outstanding attendants for potential employment opportunities, rewarding those who excel in their security duties.”

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