There are many different ways in which South Africans protect themselves against violent crime: some join their local community police forum, while others are active in street committees and patrols; some build high walls, have electric fencing and employ armed guards to protect them, or live in high-security gated communities; and some even apply for a firearm licence for self-defence. And then there are those who have none of these security measures – which is most of us. The majority of South Africans are unarmed and go about their day-to-day business without having a gun in their homes. This is the best way to make sure you and your family are safe from the risk of death and injury in the home. It is also one of the best ways to make sure that the rest of us are also safe – it means that criminals will not be able to steal your gun and use it to commit more crimes.
Why do we say this?
The majority of guns that make their way into the illegal pool of firearms are those that are lost and stolen from licensed gun owners – which includes civilians, the police and the military.
But it is not just the use of illegal weapons in a crime that makes all of us unsafe. It is also the misuse of a gun in incidents of domestic violence – whether to threaten and intimidate women in the home or to kill.
We also know that you are four times more likely to have your gun used against you than to be able to use it in self-defence. So why have a gun in the home in the first place when it is so risky?
But safety is not just about you and your home. It is also about your community and how you live in it. Do you know your neighbours on either side of you? Do you generally know what is going on in your street, or do you stay behind locked doors?
Communities in which people know and trust one another can look out for one another and get involved in projects that can contribute to making the neighbourhood a safe place to live in. In some communities in South Africa this includes things like street-cleaning parties and growing community gardens for all to enjoy.
It is the small things that help make the glue of a safe community. But it is not enough. To be safe, communities also need things like good street lighting, decent housing and a visible and accountable police service at the local police station or satellite office.
Is it really that simple? Well, yes – if every single one of us stepped into our power, stopped behaving like a victim, stopped expecting others to do the work, and got involved in making our communities safe, even if the first step is to make sure you get to know your neighbours on either side of you.
Stop hiding behind your fear of the unexpected – get out there and become an agent for change – change that can make all of us safe.
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