South Africans are urged to improve their home security as the latest South African crime statistics showcase an increase in home-related criminal activity. In this article, we share the key statistics to be aware of and propose several safety recommendations to secure your property and family’s safety with the help of new technology, community support, and Secura.
What the Latest South African Crime Statistics Reveal About Home Security
The latest South African crime statistics as published by the South African Police Service and highlighted by BusinessTech reveal a steady rise in robberies and home security-related criminal activity. You can find the key statistics in reference to aggravated robbery and property-related crimes below:
- 60.6% increase in contact crimes such as murder, sexual offences, and assault in comparison to statistics from the same period of last year
- 66.2% increase in murders specifically
- Over 1000 murders were reported to have occurred at the residential property of the victim or perpetrator
- 33.4% increase in residential robberies in comparison to statistics from the same period of last year
- 92% increase in house robberies, business robberies, and hijackings
- 6.3% increase in burglaries at residential premises
While these crime statistics are grim, they emphasise the urgency to improve one’s home security. As South Africans, we must be aware of the increasing crime statistics and make appropriate arrangements to avoid falling victim to minor and major crimes. Furthermore, these rising crime rates urge company’s to usher in a new era of home security that works to minimize the impact of crime across the board.
What is the Future of Home Security?
The future of home security continues to evolve and the release of sophisticated systems should give South Africans more confidence in their safety. Complex surveillance systems are already available and will become commonplace as communities work towards protecting their homes and livelihoods. Neighbourhood watches have also become the norm, with many community members continuing their patrols following the KZN riots and looting. The future of home security may also involve drone technology as security companies test the deployment of drones to fight crime across South Africa. A combination of these security initiatives may alleviate safety stresses as they become entrenched in the security protocols of all South African neighbourhoods.
3 Tips for Better Home Security, Today!
While South Africa has a long way to go when it comes to developing sustainable safety initiatives for the future of home security, citizens can employ the following safety tips to protect themselves and their families for the time being.
1. Take Advantage of New Tech
As we have already mentioned, new technology hopes to minimize the impact of residential robberies and crimes at home. While it may be some time before we see drones flying above our suburb, several advanced security technologies are available until we do. Every South African home should be equipped with an alarm system with outdoor beams and remote access via a mobile device. Dubbed smart home security systems, these mobile-operated solutions give property owners greater confidence in their safety protocols and provide more control over surveillance and alarm triggering. While certain smart systems may require a hefty investment, it is arguably a small price to pay for your safety.
2. Get Involved in Your Community
Although home security primarily involves protecting one’s own residential property, communities can band together for the greater safety of homes within suburbs and gated communities. The recent riot activity showcased the importance of communities coming together to protect one another and it should remain best practice to stay involved in your community. Whether you are connected via a WhatsApp group, communicate over Zello, or get together for weekly patrols, your entire neighbourhood’s home security can benefit from sustaining community safety protocols implemented during the riots.
3. Arm Yourself with Secura’s Panic App
Should anything ever happen at your home while you and/or your family are there, you must have access to a quick and effective armed response to minimize risks associated with a breach of home security. Secura’s mobile panic app remains a sought-after safety tool for its ability to connect South Africans to the nearest armed response security team at the push of a button. With an average response time of 06:57 minutes and the best response time of 02:48 minutes, Secura’s ability to efficiently dispatch security teams to high-risk provinces such as Gauteng and Western Cape as well as all provinces of South Africa is a key reason to add the app to your home security protocols.
Let Secura help support your home security!
