Don’t be a crime statistic this festive season

As the days cascade towards the festive season, most of us are looking forward to a restful holiday period and spending quality time with loved ones. But we dare not forget that criminals, too, are looking forward to making the holidays as miserable as possible for you and your family.

This period is known for merry-making, yet for some it can be a time when hearts are broken and tears are shed, often through our own sheer carelessness or through the reckless actions of others.

As the Chinese adage rightfully notes about “living in interesting times”, we are like puppets in the hands of criminals. Not since the political violence between the ANC and the IFP in the ’80s and ’90s has the community of Kathorus been gripped by so much fear and apprehension.

We see the despair in the eyes of our neighbours as they discuss the hot topics of the day – crime, poverty and political corruption.

There’s a general belief that criminals are waging an open “war” against the helpless and cowering communities in their respective townships around Kathorus.

Each crime, and the brutality of those who perpetrate it, comes as a result of the lawlessness that has engulfed our country.

There is a mutual feeling that “the devil is alive and well and manifesting himself through crime and evil in their communities”.

Many community members believe the high crime rate is placing tremendous pressure on the local police. Some communities feel that the rise in crime in general, coupled with the undeniable low morale of many committed but overwhelmed and overworked men and women in blue, is also having an adverse effect on our social structures at large.

Vehicle hijackings, domestic and family violence, rape of women and children, murder and sexual abuse of teenage boys, the grooming and rape of young girls by church leaders, school violence and teenage gangsters – these are just some of the many social ills that have placed both the community and the police under siege.

And unless some drastic measures are taken, and taken soon, we could find our townships and towns fast sliding towards a pit of doom with no point of return.

The onus, of course, is upon us as a society to choose sides between good and evil.

As we try our best to put a spring in our step as we head towards the festive season, let us also be mindful of the many minefields that lie in our way.

Take precautions, and make sure that the path you travel to the holiday season is not fraught with the dangers that have befallen our beloved nation.

Without a doubt, and for the sake of your own safety and that of your family and other road users, avoid drinking and driving. Alcohol has been identified as the biggest killer on South Africans roads. Those who are lucky enough to survive being hit by a car where a drunk driver was behind the wheel are often either maimed or scarred for life and remain a burden on their families.

Both the SAPS and the Road Traffic Police will be out in full force on the country’s roads this festive season. Their aim will be to make sure that the usual seasonal carnage on our roads is reduced to a minimum.

In a bid to curb the high death toll on our roads, road traffic officers will be focusing on adherence to the rules of the road. They will be cracking down on those driving under the influence, speeding, driving recklessly, and driving without a licence or with a fraudulent licence.

And perhaps a rather sobering thought worth mentioning is that, unlike before, this time if you are caught driving under the influence of alcohol, the new legislation requires that you spend a minimum of seven days in custody before you can appear in court.

The police have also warned motorists not to drink alcohol when driving, to avoid being taken advantage of by criminals on the road.

As you plan for your festive holidays, make sure you do not become a crime statistic.