Security Overview

THE ESTATE SECURITY OBJECTIVES

The Security objectives provide an environment that minimises potential criminal activity by way of:

• Gated controlled access
• Perimeter fencing and
• Security patrols of the common and perimeter fence.

They maintain good conduct standards of members and occupiers of erven in the Estate for the general benefit of all members in accordance with the Code of Conduct, Rules and Regulations adopted by the Thornhill Home Owners Association;

In order for any Security procedure to work, it is essential that all residents and visitors participate in this process, as no system could operate without the correct mindset of the participants. In order to achieve this each resident within the Estate has certain responsibilities and these are as follows:

• To ensure the security and integrity of his or her own household. It is impossible for any security force to be able to secure every house in the Estate the size of Thornhill;
•  To abide by the access control system rules; regardless of how inconvenient you may believe the system is, it is there for your protection;
• To assist the general security by reporting suspicious activities timeously so that they may be reacted to immediately.

THE THOA SECURITY COMMITTEE

The Security functions of the Estate are directly controlled through the Estate Management team that operates on mandates given by the Security Committee. This Committee is chaired by the Trustee holding the Security portfolio and comprises elected residents, Estate Management and representatives of the Contract Security Company. The Committee meet on a monthly basis to:

• Constantly assess the Security risks;
• Assess methods of preventing and minimising the risks;
• Assess the performance of contractual services;
• Adjudicate tenders and equipment purchases;
• Review the presentation of all incidents that have occurred since the previous meeting. Where serious incidents occur, the Chairman and Committee members are advised immediately such reports are received.

SECURITY PERSONNEL

Security personnel are contracted by the THOA through a Security contractor who is appointed by the Security Committee and Trustees through a tender process.

The following security functions are carried out by our contractor:

• The provision of Estate Security Supervisors on a 24/7 basis. The supervisors are responsible for ensuring that all security functions are properly fulfilled; they attend to any reports received, including the non-compliance of any conduct rule;
• The supply of manpower at the gates on a 24/7 basis. These guards provide oversight of the automated access control system for residents and visitors. The personnel are under direct instruction from THOA not to act on their own initiative in allowing entry or egress; where it is necessary for them to over-ride the system for any reason, they may only do so under direct instruction from Thornhill Management.
• The supply of patrol guards and patrol vehicles based on the given mandate;
• THOA does not provide a remote monitoring and reaction function. However, such service may be obtained from the Security contractor as a privately contracted function independent of the THOA. Estate Security and the armed patrol vehicles are nevertheless under instruction to assist residents wherever possible.

Personnel performance is appraised on a monthly basis and in terms of our agreement: where performance levels drop below a pre-agreed level the service provider is placed on terms and may be required to decrease their monthly billing by 1% for each percentage point below the pre-agreed level.

REPORTING OF INCIDENTS

All telephonic reports should be made through the Estate Management telephone numbers:

• THOA Estate Office 011 608 0835
• Main Gate 011 608 4361

The Main Gate telephone is manned on a 24/7 basis, but the Estate Office telephone is only manned during office hours.

Should you note any transgressions by the Security Personnel please do not take up the matter with them. Instead please report this to the Estate Management who will take the necessary action where required.