A community meeting to discuss the safety and security of Hazyview residents had to be rescheduled due to poor attendance. Nelspruit Concerned Citizen’s (NCC) Mr John Meintjies, whose aim is to establish a similar system as the aforementioned NCC and Stonehenge Against Crime (SAC), said between 15 and 20 people attended the meeting.

In Stonehenge, Mbombela, residents had decided that each incident was one too many, hence the SAC programme was born. It is similar to a neighbourhood watch, which has proved on many occasions to be one of the most effective ways to reduce crime in a particular area. Some people feel that crime in Hazyview has gotten completely out of hand to the extent that no one feels safe any longer.

Meintjies said a programme like this requires commitment from individuals and willingness to participate to keep the streets clean. “Though the attendance wasn ‘t great, it was still fruitful for those who did attend. We just wish more people made an effort to be there, therefore we have decided to have another one on June 27 at 18:00 at Laerskool Numbi,” he said.

He added that a programme like SAC gives the people the platform to share experiences and identify the weak points in the area. “This means that residents will get to know their neighbours and become vigilant and aware of their surroundings. When an emergency arises, they will have the power of teamwork, something which has proved to spook criminals. “The plan is to get as many people involved as possible and to establish a committee in every street,” said Meintjies. “People should be willing to come out of their cocoons and fight crime, and not settle for living in cages.”

Mr Joos van der Merwe of Spes-Plan provided crime-prevention measures to implement before going on holiday

• Test whether you alarm system’s battery will survive a power cut: Remove both the cable connectors on the battery, and measure its voltage. It needs to be over 10 volts to survive a power cut. If not, request a replacement.

• Test your alarm system at least a week before leaving: Phone your security company’s controller and inform him or her you are going to test your alarm system. Then switch on the alarm, activate it yourself, and switch the system off again. Then again phone the controller, and ask whether he had a close-up, alarm warning, and an open-up. If not, request a repair.

• Make sure all burglary bars are intact; and that all door locks and window handles lock properly. • Before leaving, inform your neighbours and your security company of the dates of your absence.

• Hand one of your neighbours the key to your house, in case of an alarm or a fire. Also make sure all fire extinguishers are in working order. • Before leaving, make sure no valuable items (like garden chairs, the portable braai, garden tools, bicycles) are left outside on the veranda, or in the garden. Make sure all valuable electronic equipment is locked out of sight.

• Before departing, test each door, window and burglary door. Check that they are properly locked and make sure that the alarm system is properly armed. || Community Safety || ida HH-sdv-hard-Community Safety