Elderly empowered at safety campaign
The police highlighted their mission to create a safe and secure environment for residents in the Mayville precinct.
THE Mayville SAPS held a crime awareness talk at the TAFTA on Ridge, home for the elderly on Friday. The safety talk campaign was aimed at protecting and serving senior citizens. The campaign comes after four incidents were recently reported which included senior citizens being attacked and robbed of their belongings. The Subsection Commander Corporate Communications Officer at the Mayville police station, Warrant Officer PZ Ngwane said: “We at the Mayville SAPS are committed to the business of keeping the general public safe, but as the amount of crime continues to increase all over the country and elsewhere, it becomes more difficult for the police to protect every citizen.
“The South African Police Service Mayville is committed to protect and serve our senior citizens. My Station Commander Lieutenant WB Luthuli takes the protection of older persons very seriously. Our mission is to create a safe and secure environment for all residents in the Mayville precinct,” said Ngwane.
Ngwane further added that, it is very important for everyone to have a basic knowledge about crime prevention public safety hints. “Crime prevention means being aware of your environment and remaining alert to situations that could make you vulnerable to crime. We cannot list specific measures that will protect you from every threatening situation, which may arise, however we hope to teach you about how to think about crime prevention in day-to-day living,” he said.
A 68-year-old woman was brutally assaulted following a break-in at her home on Sylvania Place in uMgeni Park, recently. Crisis Medical’s Neil Powell, said, “The elderly woman suffered a fracture to the base of her skull. We found strangulation marks and there was bruising to the orbit of the eye. She is in a stable condition and has been taken through to Umhlanga Hospital.”
Ngwane appealed to all residents of this home to contact the police if they witness criminal activities or anything suspicious. “When you are being confronted by robbers, try to remain calm and don’t show signs of aggression. Do as you are told and never argue with the robbers. Notice everything possible about your attackers because you will be the most important witness in bringing the perpetrators to justice. Remember you can replace your valuables, but not your life,” he said.
Safety tips:
-Never walk alone. If you cannot find someone to walk with you, walk on well lit, well-travelled walkways and plan your route ahead of time.
– Avoid places where attackers might hide (spaces between parked cars, overgrown shrubs and dark passageways) and areas where you might get cornered.
– Remember that it is best to walk facing traffic. If anyone follows you, look confident and let him or her know you are aware of their presence.
-Don’t be polite or engage in conversation. If they continue to follow you, cross the street and change directions. If this doesn’t work, walk toward other people or occupied buildings and stay away from places where you might get cornered.
– If someone in a car follows you and is persistent or becomes obscene, write down the licence number and report it to the police as soon as possible.
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