CRIME SCENE
Over the last two weeks we have had some alarming crime incidents:
- A vehicle was stolen off the pavement in Oranja Street, while items were stolen out of a vehicle in Lupin and another in Aster Ave.
- A house was burgled in Umtata Ave.
- A person was robbed while visiting a business in Jean Ave, after apparently being followed from the Doringkloof Mall.
- Three lights on the wall of a property in Jasper Avenue were also removed one night.
STREET BRAAI’S TO GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOUR
Two street braai’s took place over the long week-end. At one, in Jansen Park, a total of about 50 adults and 20 kids attended. It was very good to see so many people meeting and greeting and getting to know each other. The other, a street braai for 30-35 adults in Maluti Street was also a huge success.
Hopefully this will inspire the rest of Doringkloof to get involved with their street groups and hold street braais in order to get to know each other. There is security in community!
A big thank you to Dick and Raquel, who as members of the Communication Portfolio, together with many others, helped to organize the braais.
ACCURATE REPORTING
Many of the recent reports posted on social media during the unrest in Tshwane these last few days were most disconcerting. Many of the reports were really nothing more than half truths and even untruths, leading to stress, and in many cases, fear and panic.
Before you report any such story on social media for all to see, try to apply the following guidelines:
- Where did the information come from? If it comes directly from an authority, such as the police or community police forum, then it has some creditability. If your bit of news comes from your best friend’s aunt who got it from a friend who is a sergeant in the army you can assume that it is possibly not really accurate and most probably distorted. Indeed, if a report is posted by some unknown person on an open social media platform, immediately question the reliability.
- Intelligence sources will usually accept something as reliable if at least two if not three sources agree on the story. Do the same – do not believe a story if a friend phones you and tells you that a street has been closed because they heard it on social media. Wait until you hear from a different source to confirm the story before believing it.
- Finally, does the story you have been told and now want to pass on, tally up with what is considered possible. The other day we had the story of rioters moving into Centurion, notwithstanding the fact that all information said that the rioting was confined to the townships. Check such a story out before believing it or even considering posting it on a social media platform. If you think that the story is true, the next question should then be: where in Centurion?
We realise that being part of a neighbourhood watch is to keep each other informed of potential security issues. But we must realise that we have a responsibility when broadcasting information. It has to be creditable and truthful. Rumours have the nasty habit of causing unnecessary stress and fear.
RADIO USAGE
The radio is the one major factor in helping us as a neighbourhood watch in making Doringkloof a safe environment. It is therefore important that we use the radio correctly. Here are a few tips to remember when using the radio.
- The radio is not a telephone. If you want to chat then rather phone or WhatsApp the person you want to tell something to.
- Remember, when you use the radio your transmission goes to a possible 500 radio listeners, all at the same time. Ask yourself; do all 500 listeners have to hear what you say? If not, then keep your message as short as possible and stick to the basic facts. Also, you do not have to repeat everything twice, just to emphasis your point. If the receiving person did not hear what you said – all that they have to do is to say:”Say again.” This is used by all radio operators to indicate that the person receiving did not hear a transmission clearly.
- When you are in a group of three or four people and two of them are having a serious conversation, it would be considered rude to butt into their conversation. So too with the radio. Let the two people talking on the radio finish their conversation. Then, when they are clearly finished and you have something valuable to contribute, do so and only then, but only if it has a direct bearing on the issue under discussion.
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