Jozi Trails is a not-for-profit NGO run by a group of passionate volunteers who work to keep the Braamfontein Spruit as accessible, attractive and safe as possible for all kinds of trail users. We try to ensure that every trail user, whether on foot or in a saddle, enjoys their time on the trails.
Two of the main risks that trail users face are crime and conflict between different trail users, such as between cyclists and pedestrians, or incidents involving dogs off leashes. Sadly, at this special time of the year, these risks increase. While we encourage you to remain alert while on the trails, we at Jozi Trails are doing what we can to make the trails safer.
To try to reduce the threat of muggings or other criminal activity along the trails, Jozi Trails is taking the following actions:
- We will continue to run our Trail Guardian project. With the help of a dedicated group of volunteers and support from First For Women, our Guardians will patrol Delta Park to identify and report anything untoward. When you see them in their bright pink vests, please say Hi.
- In partnership with 24/7 Security, we will continue to have our Bobbies-On-the-Beat patrols on weekends. There will be 4 uniformed patrollers on bikes that patrol the trails between the southern boundary of the Johannesburg Botanical Gardens and Conrad Drive.
- Jozi Trails is working in partnership with Vumacam and JCPZ to roll out 172 cameras along the Spruit. This is part of the Safe City project. The cameras will be monitored by Vumacam with reaction to anything suspicious by the various security service providers.
- ·We will continue to monitor and provide information about any incidents so that trail users are kept aware of them. We urge anyone who is a victim of crime or who is aware of any incidents to contact us. We need to ensure that accurate information is sent to the authorities and security service providers so that we can focus resources on hot spots.
- The other major concern that we are trying to address is the potential for accidents and conflict between different park users. This includes conflict between cyclists and pedestrians who use the same trails. There have also been unpleasant incidents involving dog walkers and other trail users. As the number of people on the trails increases during the holiday season, so does the potential for these kinds of incidents. We urge everyone to enjoy the trails and to show consideration, respect and courtesy to other trail users. Jozi Trails will do what we can to prevent incidents and to keep everyone as safe as possible:
- We will continue to try to maintain separate cycle trails and walking trails. While this is the ideal solution to avoid cycle accidents, it is not always possible, and we appeal to both cyclists and walkers to remain alert and respectful of others on shared paths.
- Jozi Trails will maintain and upgrade signage along the trails to try to ensure that trail users are clear about whether the trail is shared, restricted to certain users only or restricted to a certain direction only. We depend on trail users to abide by the instructions on the signage in the interests of harmony along the trails.
- Another challenge we face is that many of our signs have been vandalised and this has added to the confusion about which trails cyclists and walkers should use. This has become a problem, particularly in Delta Park. So Jozi Trails is taking the following actions:
- We are engaging with different user groups and with the public through our social media platforms, to identify hot spots and areas of potential conflict and confusion. We also continue to invite suggestions for how best to improve the situation.
- We are revising and improving signage along the trails to optimise visibility and the clarity of information on the signs. This may include introducing a clockwise cycling route in Delta Park, which would be similar to the successful system in the Johannesburg Botanic Gardens.
- With the help of feedback from trail users, we are identifying trail sections where we need to split the paths for cyclists and pedestrians. Where we are given the required permission by JCPZ, we will try to develop separate paths.
- We will put up new trailhead signs showing where the cycle routes are and emphasising that pedestrians always have the right of way.
- We will roll out an awareness campaign to encourage all users to use the trails as instructed by the signs and to be considerate and respectful of each other.
- When we begin our planned school engagement plan, we will include a strong awareness and education component to promote constructive behaviour on the trails.
As a small volunteer-dependent organisation, Jozi Trails has neither the authority nor the capacity to enforce good behaviour along the public trails. We depend on every person on the trails acting with a positive attitude and with respect for the rights of others. We therefore encourage all trail users to work with us to keep the trails as a green asset that we can enjoy and be proud of.
