Students must stay alert or walk in groups

The attack on a 19-year-old first-year student from Oudtshoorn last week who was attacked and robbed inside a commune in Summerstrand, has highlighted the importance of safety for students across all university campuses.

According to Charnel Hattingh, National Marketing and Communications Manager at Fidelity ADT, criminals are particularly interested in students because they tend to have laptops, smart phones and other gadgets which are light and portable and easy to convert into cash.

Fidelity ADT, which has increased its patrols around the university routes as university students across Gauteng returned for the start of the year this week, has a clear message to pedestrians: ‘There is safety in numbers!’

“Criminals are very brazen in this country and we’re not saying that a group won’t still be attacked and robbed, but it certainly does reduce the risk when you move around as a group. Walking in a group of at least four or five people is a valuable deterrent.”

Alone or in groups, here’s how to stay safe:

Valuables: Keep your valuables out of sight at all times but make sure you can get to your cellphone quickly if you need to.

Listening: Don’t use headphones because they’ll dampen your ability to sense your surroundings. The more you cut your senses off the easier it is for someone to take you by surprise. Stay alert!

Route: Even if it takes longer, always use a route that is well lit and populated with houses and other walkers instead of taking shortcuts through less-friendly areas. If you feel threatened, you can at least knock on someone’s door for help if you’re walking through a familiar neighbourhood.

Leaving a commune or digs: Students can be seen as easy targets. A commune of five people, with friends coming and going constantly, is an easy target mainly because of relaxed security measures around accommodation with people in and out. Students are urged to set their alarms or use their panic buttons if they felt unsafe.

An emergency: Never try to be a hero if you’re accosted by criminals with weapons. Give them what they want and offer no resistance. Try to take in as much detail about the criminals and their vehicle, etc. as possible. As soon as you’re able to, contact the SAPS and open a case.

“Unfortunately, many cases go unreported as the students are left traumatised and fearing for their lives. It’s very important however that they do open a case with the police so that these criminals can be removed from the street. Fidelity ADT remains committed to the safety of our students and we’re working closely with the SAPS and community organisations to make the areas around the universities, in particular, safer for young people,” Hattingh concludes.