A closed boom and security guard's wooden hut in Parktown

RELATED ARTICLES: Hearings on boom-gates on the cards Gates barring access to suburban roads are appearing overnight - and the Council has scheduled oral presentations on a policy to regulate them Read more Do boomed suburbs keep out crime? The idea of 'boomed suburbs' or 'gated communities' generates passionate exchanges between proponents who believe that restricting access reduces crime; and opponents who say it causes traffic congestion and shifts crime elsewhere. Many neighbourhoods have erected security booms or gates to restrict access, often without permission from the authorities. Read more Panel to write policy on boomed suburbs A panel of experts has been appointed to advise the city on policy for "boomed suburbs". We ask the experts whether security booms do actually lower crime rates Read more

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City policy on boom gates due soon January 10, 2003 By Bongani Majola THE City of Johannesburg has come out in support of the Gauteng government's stance on the illegal erection of boom gates in "certain suburbs" and intends to present its policy on the issue. On Thursday, the MEC for Development Planning and Local Government Planning Trevor Fowler said in a statement that his department was aware of "illegal erection of boom gates without municipal permission, failure of community involvement in the erection of the gates and uncontrolled closing of roads and access to public places through the use of the gates." The City of Johannesburg has formulated a draft policy on access restrictions which is due to be presented to the Mayoral Committee before the end of January, "after months of research, consultations and public hearings", according to Erika Naude, acting director of the City's transportation, planning and management department. Naude said her department has applied for an urgent court interdict to have all illegal boom gates removed and that the matter will be considered as soon as the courts resume business this year. Fowler said that while his department will not ban the erection of boom gates, it "condemns this illegal practice and urges those who want to erect boom gates to apply to their municipalities." However, the City currently has a moratorium in place on all new applications until the draft policy is finalised. Print this Page Send an online postcard E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za