The active community in this area banded together to reduce crime and make this well-established leafy suburb with its many parks and tree-lined streets the pleasant neighbourhood it is today.
Carol van Niekerk is the driving force behind the successful GarsCom community initiative in the suburb of Garsfontein. She’s also a qualified social worker. As chairperson of GarsCom, Carol is known for making a difference in the neighbourhood she loves. GarsCom serves about 2,600 households in the part of the suburb bordered by Woodhill Golf Estate, Garsfontein Road, Solomon Mahlangu Drive and Atterbury Road in Pretoria East.
Carol and Attie van Niekerk moved from Limpopo to Garsfontein in 1994. “We had a bit of a culture shock,” says Carol. “People in Garsfontein withdrew into their homes and focused on their own private affairs. The Garsfontein police precinct was among the 20 precincts with the highest crime rate in the country.”
In 1998, Carol together with a few other residents founded GarsCom. They set their sights on getting residents involved and finding ways, as a community, to reduce crime and make the well-established leafy suburb with its many parks and tree-lined streets a pleasant neighbourhood.
“The community initiative played a key role in promoting cooperation between different role players, including the SAPS,” says Carol. As more residents became involved as volunteers, things started turning around. “In August 2015, the Garsfontein police precinct was rated first in the country for crime prevention.”
Although Garsfontein has a great deal to offer its residents in terms of entertainment and shopping facilities, and the streets are safe enough to take a leisurely stroll, Carol believes that residents also need to feel part of their neighbourhood.
To this end, several projects which are maintained by residents were established, such as street committees and activities, projects dealing with urban wildlife and assistance for senior citizens as well as regular community events such as an annual family fun day, potjiekos day, Christmas market, Christmas lights evening and garden friends group. “These are my favourite events to attend in Garsfontein,” says Carol.
Our children and their families often tell us how privileged we are to have this level of security and community involvement. We plan to retire in Garsfontein.
Top schools nearby:
- Laerskool Garsfontein
- Glenstantia Primary School
- Constantia Park Primary School
- Hoërskool Garsfontein
- Woodhill College
Attractions:
- Easy access to the N1 and N4 highways
- Close to main shopping/entertainment centres in Pretoria east, such as Woodlands Boulevard, Parkview Centre, The Grove Mall, Menlyn Park Shopping Centre
- Near Netcare Pretoria East Hospital, Life Faerie Glen Hospital, Life Wilgers Hospital.
Nature nearby:
- Faerie Glen Nature Reserve
- Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve
- Pretoria National Botanical Garden
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood, Sunday Times.
