No more finger pointing – take responsibility for your own security-Is this how we welcome tourists to South Africa? I don’t believe that being robbed was on their to-do list and whilst many might say that it could have been worse, I believe that it shouldn’t even have come to this.

We have become so used to crime in South Africa that it is accepted as part of the ‘welcome package.’

This was not the first incident of its kind and it will definitely not be the last. Taking preventative and proactive security measures is the only way to ensure that tragedies of this magnitude do not strike again.

Being a victim of any type of crime leaves scars that do not heal. One tourist is never just one tourist. They have families, friends, colleagues, acquaintances and so on. What are they going to tell them? They will say: ‘Don’t ever come to South Africa. They rob you even before your trip starts.’
Is this the image we want to portray to the rest of the world?

Averting all crime is impossible, however, putting measures in place can definitely minimise the impact. General security awareness is one of the most underestimated aspects of security.

International Airports – you are the link between South Africa and the rest of the world. Don’t you think it is time to start taking security seriously?

We love to blame everything on the Government and the SAPS when things go wrong, but even they cannot take all the blame. The finger-pointing game is over. It is time to take ownership.

The best investment for any airport, hotel, lodge, guesthouse and the like is a Security Risk Assessment. This valuable document is the only way to identify risks. Implementing unique, risk-specific solutions is so much easier when the risks have been identified.

Anything else is just guesswork. Therefore I repeat No more finger pointing – take responsibility for your own security.