As the Oranje-Kloof City Improvement District (OKCID) celebrates its 19th anniversary this month, it also bids farewell to its precinct manager, Mike Reeler, who retires after 19 years of service.
Mr Reeler has been with the OKCID since its inception in 2002, supporting the OKCID mandate to provide supplementary top-up services to the City of Cape Town, including street sweeping, visible policing and improving the spaces between buildings.
His experience started out in the area of law enforcement, where he spent almost 15 years of his early career. This was followed by a position in civil engineering and, later, in property maintenance management. Finally, Mr Reeler was faced with the opportunity to join the OKCID, and progressed to his urban management career.
Since its inception, the OKCID has had a significant impact on the level of crime within the area.
Green Point /OKCID security manager, Marius Swanepoel, said: “In the past, the head of crime intelligence at Cape Town Central police station sent us a report on the number of reported incidents each month. From the time that the OKCID began operating, crime in the Oranje-Kloof area decreased by 40% to 60% month-on-month.”
Mr Releer is described as someone who’s always happy to assist.
Looking back, Mr Reeler said in his role as a CID manager no two days have ever been the same. “Going forward, it is crucial that we maintain adaptability, as Covid-19 has emphasised the unpredictability of each new day and the new challenges or opportunities they pose,” he said.
GP/OKCID chief executive, Marc Truss said Mr Reeler had been an extremely valuable asset to the OKCID over the past 19 years. “His ability to form partnerships and relationships with residents and City officials is unmatched. He is diplomatic, caring and efficient, and his well-deserved retirement is a big loss to the OKCID,” he said.
