safety tips

Always make sure that you have your emergency numbers at hand. If you cannot reach the sector police vehicle. They might be busy taking a case and when they are busy taking a statement chances are pretty good that they will not be able to pick up the Cell

BelmontPark Sector 3 Police no: 082 411 1913

What to Do When:

When you are attacked

It’s important to remember that not every attack is the same and they do not all have the same motive. With this in mind, here are a few basic safety tips to help to protect yourself if you are attacked.

Remain Calm.
Fear can cloud your judgement. Try and remain calm to stay focused on the situation.
What’s the motive?
Your defence will depend on the motive of the attacker. Do they want money? Are they trying to take your belongings? Are they trying to cause harm?
Assess the situation.
Are they carrying a weapon? Is there anyone around that could possibly be alerted providing it is safe to do so?
Don’t try to protect your belongings.
Your safety is more important than the belongings that can be replaced. If the attacker is after money, throw your purse/wallet towards them and run in the opposite direction.
Fight back if you have to.
If the attacker is trying to cause you harm and you are unable to escape or get help, then self defence could be your best option.
Use reasonable force.
There is no definition as to what constitutes as reasonable force. This is decided on a case-by-case situation. But if you are being physically attacked, you have the right to defend yourself.
Call for help discreetly.
If you’re carrying a personal safety alarm then use it. Pressing the SOS button on one of your emergency devices, or connect to emergency application on your smartphone like Namola where their highly trained Controllers will listen in and summon assistance. Else dial 112 from cellphone or 10111.

When intruder is in your yard

No person should be TRESPASSING on PRIVATE PROPERTY Day or Night!!
Call: Law Enforcement (LE) on 021 480 7700 /021 596 1999 or 107 from your cell.
Make always sure you have all your doors and windows locked.
Acquire a self-defence weapon.
Activate your automobile security horn alarm to wake up your neighbours so they will look outside to investigate the noise.
Turn on your outside lights and house lights to let the trespasser know that your home is occupied. Make sure you do not give away your location in the house.
Purchase a quality can of Pepper Spray or Taser, a Referee’s Whistle to make noise will also help.
If you have a fire arm, do not go outside to confront the trespasser and end up shooting him, it could lead to you to jail, your life was not in immediate danger!
Unless they are actively breaking the door down, it’s safer to lock the place down, arm yourself, and call the LE.
If they break in and approach you, you can defend yourself.
A flashlight capable of at least 1,000 lumens or more that has a strobe setting can blind an intruder and depending on the lens or reflector design, powerful enough to reach a distance of 200 meters or more which will allow you to see what is going on in a distance.

Loud music – Noise Nuisance

If a person wishes to have a party on his premises, he needs to contact each and every one of his neighbours who will be affected by the party, and receive permission.

Disturbing Noise in an urban environment is governed by municipal by-laws. An example of this kind of noise would be loud music that is played to all hours of the night. Most municipalities have by-laws in place that focus on the level of decibels reached rather than the actual time frame in which noise is made. This kind of party noise is generally tolerated until 10pm during the week and until 0:00 on a Friday and/or Saturday evening before you can take steps against the perpetrator/s. However, the understanding that people may have parties and make a noise until 22:00 or 0:00, is completely incorrect. The noise control regulations stipulate that no noise at any time may disrupt the peace of one’s neighbours. Noise Nuisance is always illegal and is enforceable, regardless of when it takes place.

Noise Nuisance is more subjective and usually happens over a longer period. It’s defined as noise that “disturbs or impairs or may disturb or impair the convenience or peace of any person”. This could include any of the following:

dogs that bark incessantly;
playing a musical instrument or operating a television set loudly;
operating machinery or power tools;
shouting and talking loudly;
operating a vehicle that causes a noise;
driving a vehicle on a public road in a manner that causes a noise nuisance;
the discharge of fireworks in a residential area causing noise nuisance.

What to Do?

The most practical and cost-effective way to deal with a noise nuisance would be to approach your neighbour directly and politely and tell them of the problem and, together, find a solution.
So, to make sure there is no misunderstanding about your demeanour. Approach your neighbour and ask them if you can have a discussion with them about your concerns. If they can’t do it immediately, agree on a convenient time.
It’s probably not the best idea to approach your neighbour in the heat of the moment, as you do not want to come across as angry or disgruntled. Instead, wait until you have calmed down. Many people respond to aggression with some level of pettiness, and your neighbour may continue with their disruptive behaviour just to irk you more! Call Law Enforcement (LE) on 021 480 7700, 021 596 1999 or 107 from your cell.
If they refuse to have a chat with you, consider appointing a mediator to facilitate a session to resolve the dispute. This approach is still on the civil side of things. Delivering a written note could help prove that you tried to resolve the matter.

If this does not solve your problem, you do have legal options to consider.

A lawyer would ask your neighbour to desist and if that too fails, will approach the court for an interdict to stop the noise nuisance. The court considers these factors when determining if the actions are unlawful: the type of noise, how often does it happen (LE reference numbers), where the noise occurs, the times when the noise is made, and all efforts made to resolve the matter. You must satisfy the judge that the noise has negatively affected your quality of life, your health, your comfort and your general well-being.

The legal principal is that “a man is allowed to have free use and enjoyment of his property, provided that in doing so, he does not infringe on the rights of his neighbour”. Our judges have adopted the view that “some discomfort, inconvenience or annoyance from the use of neighbouring property needs be endured”.

When Calling an Ambulance

Please have the patient details on hand when calling 10177 to ensure that the incident is referred to the correct emergency unit.

Information you should give when calling an ambulance

The current medical status of the patient. For example, are they breathing? Are their symptoms worsening?

Any ongoing medical issues that you’re aware of, like breathing problems or heart issues? Are they taking any medication?

Any changes to the patient’s condition while you’re on the call.

Your exact location, with any landmarks that may help us find you faster.

An emergency medical resource is dispatched based on the information provided by the caller.

WCG-Health-Triage-Referrals-Appointments.

What to expect after you call an ambulance

In the event of a priority 1 (P1) medical emergency the ambulance will arrive within 15 minutes or less, 80% of the time. Non-life threatening priority 2 (P2) calls will need to wait longer due to pending P1 emergencies.

How the triage system works

The EMS triage system begins when you first contact an emergency call centre.

The call agent will:

evaluate the emergency based on the information provided by the caller. This is why it’s very important to provide correct patient details including medical history if at all possible, and

priorotise the severity of the emergency using several filtering protocols as well as input from emergency medical practitioners at the emergency call centre.

At this point the incident is given a triage colour code.

It’s important to give details about the emergency to the call centre to make sure that the correct code is allocated to it.

Most calls are triaged green due to 70% of calls being non-emergency incidents. We need to ensure that response time isn’t wasted on non-essential calls. EMS aims to arrive within 15 minutes of the initial call.

When the business you are visiting is getting robbed.

Remain calm and do not resist.
Assure the robber you will cooperate and take no action that may jeopardise your safety. Don’t make any quick or unexpected movements. Cooperate with the robber and do not try to become a hero. Robbers almost never hurt anyone who cooperates.

Follow the robber’s directions, but do not offer more than what they ask for.
Don’t argue. If you have to move or reach into your pockets to give the robber what they want, tell them what you are going to do and why. Inform the robber of any surprises. If someone is expected back soon or if you must reach or move in any way, tell the robber what to expect so they will not be startled. A suspicious move by an employee may trigger a violent reaction by the robber and endanger the lives of many people. Keep calm.

Make mental notes of the robber’s appearance.
Take note of their features. Is there anything unusual about their appearance such as scars or tattoos? Take note of race, sex, height, weight, facial features (head shape, hair colour, eye colour, shape of eyes, nose and mouth, etc.) speech patterns (i.e., accents), scars, marks and/or deformities, right or left-handed. Any unusual smells about the robber, i.e., drinking, smoke, etc. If more than one, try to listen to names used. If there is a weapon, make note of what it is so you can describe it later and consider it loaded and dangerous to everyone’s life. Try to note of barrel length and colour, also the colour of grips, whether it is a pistol that is automatic or a revolver. If they come or go in a car, try to note the make and model and license plate number.

Notice what the robber does so you can include it in your report.
If there are more than one, pay attention to any conversations they have with one another. Do they use each other’s names or nicknames? Do they mention any locations? Try to remember what they touch during the robbery so that police can check those areas for fingerprints.

After the robbery, if possible immediately go to a safe location, then report the crime.
Your personal safety is your top priority. After the robber has the money, offer to have employees and customers lie down instead of waiting for the robber to decide what to do such as knocking you/them down or tying you up. Make sure it is safe before you call 10111 or 0021 480 7700 and 112 if you are still in possession of your cell phone. If you’re in an isolated area, move to an area with people and ask someone to stay with you while you wait for help. If you opt to remain at the crime scene, try not to touch anything. If there were any witnesses, ask them to remain with you until the officers arrive. If they must leave, write down their name, address and telephone number.

Broken Streetlights : 0860 103 089 (choose the menu selection for electricity faults) or you can SMS: 31220

Can also make use of chatBot :https://alfred.eskom.co.za/chatroom/

Water and Sanitation 24-hour Corporate Contact Centre
Telephone:

0860 103 089 (choose option 2: water-related faults)
SMS: 31373 (free SMSes do not apply)
Email:water@capetown.gov.za
Whatsapp:
063 407 3699

Stolen or damaged Wheelie bin

If your bin has been stolen, you will need to report the theft of your bin at the nearest SAPS office to obtain an affidavit.

Please note

A replacement wheelie bin is free, but if you are proven to have been negligent (leaving the bin on the pavement overnight, etc.) then you will be charged a replacement fee.

Traffic Services

To report traffic offenses, call 0860 765 423 (share call rates) or 021 596 1999 else

‘Drug Busters’
Drug dealing and shebeening on Council-owned properties should be reported to the 24/7 toll-free number 0800 225 669.

Cable theft (Copperheads)
To report theft of copper piping, manhole covers, and other Council property, call the 24/7 toll-free number 0800 222 771.

Illegal Electrical connections
If you come across any illegal connections, report them to Eskom on 08600 37566 (ESKOM) or SMS Crime Line on 32211.