Cape Town - Advocacy group, Action Society, hosted a short course on essential personal safety in Lentegeur, Mitchells Plain, to teach neighbourhood watches and Walking Bus members how to safeguard themselves in dangerous situations in their daily fight against violent crime.
Action Society spokesperson Ian Cameron said the course started on Monday.
He said they believed it was an essential personal safety course that would assist neighbourhood watches and Walking Bus members with skills and knowledge on how to keep themselves out of harm's way while facing a massive threat of violence on a daily basis.
The training course was presented by training facilitators “Personal Safety” who offer various courses in safety training.
Community members were trained on recognition skills – how to recognise when someone has bad intent – as well as how to control distance using their voice and items around them, including their environment.
Glenda Arendse, a coordinator for the neighbourhood watch and Walking Bus, said the training strengthened their work and safety and empowered their members to be vigilant at all times.
"It really speaks to our challenges and brought more awareness to our females to be more aware of their surroundings," said Arendse.
Arendse said it made them "more wise, alert and observant". She encouraged the community to join their safety groups to fight crime and make a difference.
Ricardo Mackenzie, a member of the legislature who attended the session, thanked Action Society and Personal Safety "for bringing this valuable training" to Mitchells Plain.
"Our neighbourhood watches and walking bus members, walking the streets of Lentegeur, really appreciate this additional training to strengthen their work,” said Mackenzie.