Your Security in South Africa

By Craig B. Roseveare

This book is primarily about securing your home against potential unwanted intruders and keeping your family safe. The rise in violent crime affecting my country stems directly from an increase in criminal behavior and farm attacks, resulting in loss of innocent lives in my country. The message in this book goes out to all innocent, law-abiding citizens of South Africa. It is time to take a stand and prepare yourselves against becoming victims of the lawlessness plaguing our country.

The authorities themselves face great challenges, numerous obstacles, and insufficient support. As a result, we are losing the battle against all crime and, particularly, violent crime. It is now up to individual citizens to change their mind-set and become unbeatable adversaries of the criminal element.

I dont advocate vigilantism or breaking the law in order to achieve this. What I suggest instead is that people need to develop the mental and physical skills to avoid violence in the first place and then, if necessary, use a level of violence higher than that which would be imposed on them in a conflict situation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Sep 11, 2017
• ISBN: 9781546282068

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© 2017 Craig B. Roseveare. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 09/11/2017

ISBN: 978-1-5462-8120-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-8206-8 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

CONTENTS

Preface

Chapter 1   Your Routine And Movements At Home

Chapter 2   The Wife Or Partner’s Routine At Home

Chapter 3   Involving Your Neighbours And Friends In The Security Plan

Chapter 4   Rape

Chapter 5   A Guideline To South African Law Pertaining To Your Right To Defend Yourself When Attacked

Chapter 6   Firearms

Chapter 7   Self-Defence

Chapter 8   Other Security Weapons, Tools And Tips

Chapter 9   Alarm Systems, Cctv Systems, Lighting, Mirrors, And Gps Devices

Chapter 10   Dogs And The Role They Play In A Security Plan

Chapter 11   Farm-Attack Security For People Living In Rural Or Remote Areas

Chapter 12   General Security, The Elderly, And Helping Others

Notes

About The Author

PREFACE

Please read this book from cover to cover before you skip to chapters that you think pertain more to your individual situation. Parts of the content of this book overlap due to the dynamic nature of security elements and scenarios. You can always come back to more relevant chapters. There is one exception to this no skipping ahead rule, and that is explained at the end of chapter 1.

I would advise you to make notes in this book while you are reading. Highlight relevant sections and bend pages back. Treat it as a reference book, as it is intended to assist and guide you with security ideas and tips which could save your life and your family’s lives. This is not some novel to read lightly.

I suggest that you and your spouse or partner read it together, even if you have to get two copies. I am honestly not trying to promote sales of the book with this statement. Doing as I suggest means that the two of you can plan your security together, which is vital. Unfortunately, South Africa is becoming rapidly more volatile. Read the first chapter, and I am sure you will be able to relate to my suggestion.

My knowledge of and opinions regarding security come from my time as a member of what was known as the South African Police – Riot Unit 8 Reaction Unit in the early 1990s, based in Pietermaritzburg. Our unit covered mostly the Midlands area of KwaZulu-Natal. These were troubled times in South Africa, and I was subjected to more than the average amount of conflict. I witnessed untold human atrocities.

As a result of that experience, I felt compelled to help people understand the grave importance of security with an emphasis on self-preservation. South Africa has been, and still is, spiralling out of control, with farmers and people in general being attacked and murdered in what can be compared to a country at war.

The message in this book goes out to all innocent law-abiding citizens of South Africa. It is time to take a stand and prepare yourselves against becoming victims of the lawlessness plaguing our country. The authorities themselves face great challenges, numerous obstacles, and insufficient support. As a result, we are losing the battle against all crime and particularly violent crime. It is up to individual citizens to change their mindset and become unbeatable adversaries of the criminal element.

I don’t advocate vigilantism or breaking the law in order to achieve this. What I suggest instead is that people develop the mental and physical skills needed to avoid violence in the first place and then, if necessary, use a level of violence higher than that which would be imposed on them in a conflict situation. I believe that if all innocent, law-abiding, God-fearing people of South Africa implemented the preventative measures and other initiatives suggested in this book, our country would turn the corner and become vibrant and thriving. Then we as the people of South Africa could focus on building instead of looking over our shoulders.

CHAPTER 1

YOUR ROUTINE AND MOVEMENTS AT HOME

The Man of the House

You are watching the clock. It’s time to leave for work. You’re running late, and you can’t find your car keys. Your wife or partner is barking last-minute instructions at you not to forget the grocery order this afternoon, and your blood pressure is rising. Your focus is on finding those damn car keys.

Stop! Does this sound familiar?

Ah, found the keys. Now you head for the door. Bye, doll. See you later.

Stop! Will you see her later?

You open the house door and the security gate. Your hands are full with a briefcase, keys, a lunch box, and so on. Your focus is on getting to your car and rushing off to work.

Stop! Do you have a security gate? If so, what type of gate is it? Is your security gate built or designed adequately to stop a forced entry?

Let’s take a brief look at your movements so far. I doubt you’ve considered the aspect of security for one second during this period. Your focus has been elsewhere. This is very common for most of us as we go about our daily lives.

The reality is that we can no longer live like this in South Africa – or, in fact, in most countries of the world. If we do, we’re likely to become a statistic. Crime rates, including those for attacks, are rising in South Africa due to a number of factors. Rising unemployment and a failing economy are two reasons. More and more people are resorting to crime as a means of income, especially the younger generation. They face a situation of hopelessness in our tattered economy.

Criminals are becoming increasingly dangerous and ruthless. The criminal now relies more on narcotics – such as cannabis or wunga – and/or alcohol to gain the courage to carry out criminal activities. This makes attackers more aggressive, reckless, and without conscience.

My purpose in writing this book is to awaken the average South African, and people in general, to the realities that face us all. It is not my intention to scare or strike terror into people. However, everything in this book is a reality and intended to get your head out of the sand, because there is a high probability that you could be next. So let’s prepare ourselves as best we can.

Let’s go back to you opening your door and security gate before leaving for work. Firstly, you were running late. This fundamental error may be all it takes to allow attackers to enter your home and create a multitude of jeopardizing scenarios which affect your safety as well as that of your family.

Change your lifestyle. Become more organised. Give yourself twenty minutes before you leave for work to assess your security and surroundings. This can save you and your family from becoming victims – an extremely traumatic experience. A little paranoia can lead to a longer life.

Plan your morning departure the night before. Involve your wife/partner and family members in the precautionary measures necessary to raise your security to the highest level you possibly can. The security situation is now critical and becoming worse. This is not your fault, and there is nothing you can do about the existence and escalation of the criminal element in society. But there is a lot you can do to keep yourself and your family from becoming victims.

As a start, I suggest that the dominant member of the family – for example, the adult male – act as the catalyst in involving the whole family. Take notes of the relevant elements mentioned in this book, as well as other security points or observations you and your family may want to consider. Create a security plan that all competent family members are aware of (we’ll discuss small children and the elderly as we carry on). Encourage relevant family members, at your discretion, to read this book to engender a strong family sense of security.

Once again, we’re back at the door, but this time you mean business. You have given yourself an extra twenty minutes to do a security check before you leave for work, so you’re not running late. Okay, where do you start?

Check the inside of your home. You’re carrying your firearm (preferably a handgun), concealed but ready to use. You also have as a backup a neck knife – namely, the Grabber-style neck knife. I recommend being prepared with, for example, a can of pepper stream in your hand while doing your inside check in the event of a surprise attack. I refer to firearms in greater detail in chapter 6 and numerous security weapons and tools in chapter 8. I cover the options of more high-tech equipment – for example, CCTV systems, alarms, and GPS devices – as well as lighting systems and mirrors in chapter 9.

These options are largely dependent on your budget, which is the reason I refer to the basics at this stage. Do you own a gun? If not, I suggest pepper stream (not pepper spray, as the spray could linger and affect you) and the Grabber neck knife.

You first check the rooms inside the cell. What is a cell? A cell is what I call a safe area for the sleeping quarters. The sleeping area is cordoned off by a security gate or Xpanda trellis door with a slam lock. The reason for this is that between the hours of one and three in the morning, you’re in your deepest sleep. Most attackers are aware of this, so it is your most vulnerable time for break-ins and attacks. Your cell gate gives you time to ensure that your loved ones are secure in case you need to take offensive action. We will discuss plans for securing loved ones – for example, small children – in this scenario in chapter 2.

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Do you have one or more fire extinguishers in your cell area? Have you heard of the Fire Stryker flame-inhibitor fire extinguisher? Do you have a well-stocked first-aid bag in your cell area? We’ll refer more to this fire extinguisher and first-aid details, as well as other security tips to consider for your cell area, in chapter 8.

Check the inside of your house for signs of tampering. Look for broken glass, items out of place, or items knocked over. You should know the inside of your house well, so this should not take long.

Never overestimate your security plan. Don’t become complacent. I refer to a true incident in which a friend was forced to fatally shoot an attacker in his home after the man attacked him with a knife. The attacker managed to get through an electrified fence without activating the alarm. He got past four dogs patrolling the yard. He forced open the burglar guards. The first indication of his presence in the house was the sound of breaking glass as he broke the window.

This attacker was well within the house by the time my friend could react. The shooting took place in the dining room area. This incident ended without harm to my friend and his family because his wife is a light sleeper and heard the sound of glass breaking – and because my friend is well trained in the use of firearms and a good shot. However, we will discuss some of his errors in chapter 6. The point of relaying this incident here is that today’s attackers are more organised and more brazen.

Next, look into your yard through the windows to see if you can identify any irregularities. Don’t open a window or position your full body in front of a window when peering outside. Rather, look from the corner of the window, keeping your body and most of your head hidden behind the wall. Ensure that you maintain the advantage of light. By this, I mean to stay in the shadows, as such, from the inside of your home. Remember, your attacker will most likely be lurking in the shadows, observing movement in your home in the hope of gaining the element of surprise. You can only gain the advantage of light by ensuring that there is more light illuminating the outside of your home than the inside. Keep your lights dimmed on the inside. This scenario is obviously only applicable when it is still dark outside.

Outside lighting is imperative. Your attacker or attackers will be a lot less likely to target your home if it is well lit up than if it offers areas of shadow and coverage in which to hide while waiting for an opportune moment to catch you by surprise. Imagine your attacker as a predator who will use every opportunity for camouflage – shadows, bushes, and other obstacles to hide behind. Take a moment to think of this and then survey the outside of your home, from lighting to bushes, and check for obstacles that could be changed, added to, or removed to allow for better visibility.

I would strongly suggest that your home and yard lighting situation be one of the top priorities in your security improvement plan, which by now I hope you are making notes on as to changes and precautions you can implement. Regarding obstacles in your yard