POTCHEFSTROOM – It is once more the time of the year in which members of the community and holidaymakers will be travelling and meeting with other families members. Sadly, this is also the period that is characterised by criminality.
In order to ensure the Wellbeing and Safety of all South African Citizens in line with the Safer Festive Season Operations 2021/2022, South African Police Service (SAPS) in the province in conjunction with other law enforcement agencies will be extending our reach through Blue Light visibility and dealing with any criminality.
While law enforcement will be out in numbers to assert the authority of the State, the public is reminded that their cooperation is vital to general safety, among others, by taking precautionary measures and applying the following safety hints:
It is always important to know and have all emergency numbers and verifying the identity of strangers who visit for business purposes to do deliveries or repairs. If you know that you will be away for a longer period, do not leave your house unattended, rather leave another person to take care of it or report your absence to the police so that they can make turns at your place while in patrol.
While travelling, do not drink and drive and avoid speeding by leaving your departure point on time. To avoid hijackings, know your destination as well as directions and be alert if you get lost and never leave keys in the ignition when alighting. Similarly, Motorists are warned to exercise caution and avoid at all costs to give lifts to hitch-hikers.
For pedestrians, it is advisable to plan your route beforehand and avoid drinking and walking on or along the road. It is always good to avoid walking alone, stay in well-lit areas as much as possible. It is advisable not to carry large sums of money around, but to use conventional ways of doing transactions.
While at Automated Teller machines (ATMs), do not accept assistance from strangers and avoid using isolated ATMs late at night.
Source: South African Police Service
