Festive Safety Tips

With December’s arrival, South Africans are gearing up for another frantic festive season. December holidays truly represent a time for families and friends to celebrate the closing of a busy year. During this time, however, it’s important to remain vigilant by keeping your loved ones and your home safe. Unfortunately, the statistics indicate that the crime rate in South Africa increases during this time.

Due to many people going on holiday and leaving their homes unattended and without sufficient security, robberies tend to increase. According to the South African Police Service (SAPS) annual crime report released in 2019, violent crimes, armed robberies and house robberies were on the rise:

  • 220,865 house burglaries.
  • 22,431 robberies from residential premises.
  • 140,031 robberies with aggravating consequences.

With all this in mind, we thought it would be beneficial to share some holiday safety advice to ensure that you enjoy the festive season to the fullest.

Firstly, never leave your home looking vulnerable. We suggest leaving some lights on and having a friend or neighbour periodically tend to your garden and check on the house. Secondly, it’s imperative that your home is guarded with security gates as they act as a deterrence to criminals. Though they may not prevent forceful intrusion, a good security gate will provide your home with an initial level of protection. Thirdly, installing a high-tech security system goes a long way. Gravity Risk Consultants offers tailored residential security services that include CCTV systems, access control and diligent patrols.

Lastly, roads are notoriously busy with reckless drivers during this time, therefore you should always make sure that you’re in a fit state to drive and be aware of the drivers around you. In a Business Tech report, it stated that of the 2,915 arrests made on the run over the 2019 festive season, a total of 1,397 were for driving under the influence.

A holiday is most enjoyed when you’re feeling totally relaxed and at ease. We hope that these functional tips will ensure that you have a restful break and keep your assets, property and family protected.

Contact Gravity Risk Consultants for your security needs.