| 10. |
GOOD
SECURITY HABITS |
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| 10.1. |
Stand by your rights as the owner of your farm. Strangers or temporary labourers should first get your permission to enter the farm. Ask your local police station what the law allows you to do and how you may apply your rights on the farm. |
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| 10.2. |
Farm labourers |
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| 10.2.1. |
Establish a good relationship with workers on the farm. |
| 10.2.2. |
Keep a copy of every labourer’s ID. |
| 10.2.3. |
Encourage workers to be safety conscious and to report crime. |
| 10.2.4. |
Encourage workers to be on the lookout for strangers in the area and to notify you of their presence. |
| 10.2.5. |
Reward workers for any useful hints and information they give. |
| 10.2.6. |
Provide adequate protection for the labourers’ houses and families. |
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| 10.3. |
Do not allow anybody on the farmyard or in the house before having identified him/her, especially at night.
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| 10.4. |
At least one dog should sleep inside the house.
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| 10.5. |
Ensure that heavy tools such as axes, spades, picks, tommy bars, ladders, etc are locked away when not in use.
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| 10.6. |
Control over keys:
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| 10.6.1. |
Use codes instead of written labels to mark keys. |
| 10.6.2. |
Avoid carrying large bunches of keys with you. Use locks that work by means of a code. The codes must be changed regularly |
| 10.6.3. |
Remove keys from vehicles when they are not needed. |
| 10.6.4. |
Change locks when their keys disappear. |
| 10.6.5. |
Ensure that all doors (including security and garage doors), windows and gates are kept locked when not in use. |
| 10.6.6. |
Before unlocking anything, make sure you have the correct key handy. |
| 10.6.7. |
Never hide a key in predictable places such as under a doormat or in potted plants. |
| 10.6.8. |
When a key is left in a keyhole on the inside of the door, it should be turned to prevent it from being pushed out from the outside. |
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| 10.7. |
Every time you leave the house, tell your family where you are going, what route you will be taking and when you can be expected back.
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| 10.8. |
Test your telephone regularly to ensure that it is in a working condition. Put the telephone installed in an accessible place in the house that is at the same time not vulnerable to gunfire through any windows.
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| 10.9. |
Always keep a torch nearby during the night. When using a torch, do it in a way that it does not give away your position.
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| 10.10. |
Take precautions to prevent the theft of fuel and supplies.
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| 10.11. |
Vary your daily routine.
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| 10.12. |
Make it a habit to not go to sleep immediately after switching off the light at night. Stay awake for a while. Do not sleep in a place where you are visible from outside.
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| 10.13. |
Do not stand in front of the window when opening or closing the curtains. Move with the curtain so as not to present yourself as a target. Curtains should not be transparent. The movement of people behind curtains must not be visible through the curtains at a distance of about 100 m.
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| 10.14. |
Take photographs and fingerprints of all employees to discourage them from getting involved in crime.
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| 10.15. |
Regular target practice on the farm (within the safety measures) is also a good deterrent to any would-be criminal.
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| 10.16. |
Your children must be able to answer the telephone in the correct manner. They should also not talk with strangers or take presents from strangers. Everybody in the household must participate in the safety drills.
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| 10.17. |
Keep an old camera in your vehicle. Take photographs of all strangers in the area or strangers visiting your farm.
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| 10.18. |
If you are unsure about how safe it is at your home when returning from a trip, contact a neighbour to assist you in searching your home. This will prevent ambushes.
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| 10.19. |
Identify places that are relatively safe, eg. bathrooms, toilets or storerooms. The fewer windows and doors there are, the better.
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| 10.20. |
Do not keep inflammable substances in the house.
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| 10.21. |
Know the area well to be able to escape, especially at night.
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| 10.22. |
Always arrive home in the day.
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| 10.23. |
Familiarize yourself with the protocol regarding farm visits by the police, the Commando or neighbours.
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| 10.24. |
Effective communication is a crucial part of rural protection. Therefore, every farm must be in communication with other farms in the area, the SAPS and the SANDF.
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| 10.25. |
There should be two emergency support systems as back-up, eg. a telephone and a citizen band radio. A cellphone is useful because it does not have a line that can be cut.
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| 10.26. |
A radio network must be established that must be checked frequently and maintained. A responsible individual must be assigned to perform this task.
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| 10.27. |
The farm workers/staff are part of the team, and they should be involved in security measures.
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| 10.28. |
Farm workers must be involved on an equal footing in maintaining security on a farm.
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| 10.29. |
Workers must be familiarized with the use of code words to signal an emergency when necessary.
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| 10.30. |
Fall into the habit of noting details.
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| 10.31. |
Identify and inform everyone on the farm of possible access and escape routes.
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| 10.32. |
Communication systems (including alternative communication systems) must be tested frequently.
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| 10.33. |
When labour disputes occur the security must be stepped up. Regard all information as significant.
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| 10.34. |
Explore different types of systems. Pass on intelligence to cell members, the Commando and the SAPS.
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