Big brother is watching Wilderness

WILDERNESS NEWS - The Wilderness Residents and Ratepayers Association (WRRA) received state-of-the-art security cameras worth about R107 000 from George Municipality's tourism department to help secure one of our region's tourism magnets.

Tourism manager Joan Shaw said their partnership took root in the high season of 2019, when tourists were being targeted and harassed at popular areas in Wilderness.

George Tourism then negotiated a short-term contract with a local security company to patrol the hotspots and keep tourists safe, but Shaw says this arrangement was not sustainable as security is not a mandate of the local tourism office.

George Tourism allocated a portion of the Capital Expenditure budget to purchase the cameras. A more sustainable plan was also developed to provide a long-term solution, with a Memorandum of Agreement to pool resources and prevent future problems.

It was agreed that George Tourism would provide five cameras, and that WRRA would install, monitor and maintain the system that can then be extended to other areas of Wilderness to the benefit of all communities.

Five areas where the cameras should be installed to give the best security and coverage to tourist spots in the village, were identified by both parties. It is hoped that the network will be expanded in future to include Dolphin Point and Sands Road.

In front are George Tourism manager Joan Shaw and Ward Councillor Marlene Barnardt. At the back are Pierre Durant (WRRA), John Miller (WRRA), Shelley Epstein (WRRA) and Portfolio Councillor for Strategic Services Dirk Wessels.