Crucial tips to improve safety when residing on a farm

Security advisor Henk Boshoff says that farmers should avoid becoming soft targets for potential farm attackers. He spoke to Gerhard Uys about making a farm and its surrounding communities safer. In South Africa, being a farmer is more than twice as dangerous as being a police officer, and a farmer or farmworker is almost four times more likely to be murdered than the average South African. Henk Boshoff, who lives on a farm near Standerton, Mpumalanga, and his partner Mark Wilson, who works from the Strand in the Western Cape, are partners in a security company, Community Assets Tactical Security (CATS). They advise farmers on how to approach farm and community security, and put them in contact with those who can implement security infrastructure at the best prices. The area in which Henk lives was known for high crime rates, but after the community organised itself, this rate dropped drastically. “Farmers and farming communities are soft targets. They must b…
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Pretend to be a skelm and secure your home against burglars

According to the UK's Home Office Statistics, home owners are twice as likely to be burgled within 12 months of moving homes. "In South Africa, it is more than likely that this is true as home owners are unfamiliar with the 'weak' spots in their home security," says Mary-Jane Lefevre; call centre manager at ooba (formerly MortgageSA). "Safety will always be a priority in South Africa," says Lefevre. "Securing your home should be one of the first things you do when you move into a new home." When moving into a new home 'act like a skelm' suggests Lefevre. "Carefully case out your new home as a potential target," says Lefevre. "Try all the access points such as gates, windows, doors and even the roof to see if there are any potential entries." The most valuable asset a burglar has is time, so any preventative measure installed to delay his entrance is beneficial. "Tidy up your garden," says Lefevre. "Having a tidy, trim garden will make it more difficult for…
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WEES WAKKER, WEES PARAAT, WEES REG: DIE KORT EN DIE LANK VAN PLAASVEILIGHEID

Plaasveiligheid is jou eie verantwoordelikheid en geen beskermingsmaatreëls is ‘n waarborg dat jy nie ‘n slagoffer van ‘n ernstige geweldsmisdaad sal word nie. Maak seker dat jy ‘n plan het van wat om te doen as daar ‘n insident op jou plaas sou wees, ‘n onwettige grondbesetting of betreding sou plaasvind of as daar dalk enige ander wetsoortreding op jou plaas sou wees – soos byvoorbeeld die jag van wild met honde. Beskermingsmaatreëls gaan jou nie vrywaar van ‘n insident nie, maar gaan die booswigte vertraag en jou waarsku om jouself voor te berei op dit wat kan volg. Wees ten alle tye waaksaam en paraat. As daar iets is wat nie reg lyk nie of uit plek is, dan is daar gewoonlik fout. Wees op die uitkyk. Besin oor hoe jy gaan optree indien jy ‘n slagoffer van ‘n ernstige geweldsmisdaad sou word. Gaan jy vries, weghardloop of terugslaan? Oefen om kalm te bly, die situasie reg te lees en die regte optrede dienooreenkomstig te neem. Wees kreatief om die booswigte uit te oorlê…
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