LOAD shedding has hit Zululand hard and fears for safety and security are mounting as residents are left in the dark.
However, according to Business Against Crime Manager, Dave Whittaker there has been no significant increase in crime statistics during the load shedding periods.
‘There is always an increase during the festive season but unfortunately that is expected,’ explained Whittaker.’Other parts of the country who are experiencing load shedding for far longer periods of time have shown a spike in crime levels but we have been fortunate in Zululand so far.
‘People however must always remain vigilant especially when there is no power and the lights are off.
‘Batteries should be fully charged and alarm systems should be checked on a regular basis.’
Load shedding can wreak havoc with alarm systems as well as to the signals sent to security providers’ control rooms.
Martin Kriel, Managing Director of ADT Security’s East Coast Region says many people believe their home alarm system is deactivated when the power supply is interrupted; however, all modern alarms have a back-up battery pack that activates automatically when normal supply is interrupted.
‘Power cuts can also increase the possibility of false alarm activations and, despite having a back-up battery pack, it is important that you test your alarm regularly.’ said Kriel
•To stay safe and protect your possessions, ensure that you are especially alert when arriving or leaving your home in the evenings, as the street lights and your outside lighting will not be functioning during the load shedding process.
•At home, make sure that all your automated gates and doors are secured, and that all other gates and doors are locked.
•To ensure that your electric fencing continues to function during the power cuts, it should also have a back-up battery.
@AndrewCornew
