Everyone has heard the saying about dropping a pebble in a pond and watching the ripples it makes spread outward in all directions and how life can be similar. Barbara Holtmann, Crime Prevention Research Leader at the CSIR (Council for Science and Industrial Research) has Africanised this saying: “How does one eat an elephant, not one bite at a time but with many hungry people.”

Everyone has heard the saying about dropping a pebble in a pond and watching the ripples it makes spread outward in all directions and how life can be similar. Barbara Holtmann, Crime Prevention Research Leader at the CSIR (Council for Science and Industrial Research) has Africanised this saying: “How does one eat an elephant, not one bite at a time but with many hungry people.”

Holtman, who was integral to the formation of Action for a Safe South Africa, a civil society initiative to make South Africa safer, explains similarly if all South Africans together tackle the problems faced by this country, the value of their collective contributions will be so more impactful.

“Ordinary South Africans can make a difference that will not require time or monetary input - such as teaching your children hobbies, which could become a skill that in future will enable them to become self-sufficient, while learning entrepreneurship.”

Each time parents fight in front of children, she says they are telling them by implication that fighting is the way to resolve conflict. Holtman explains this needs to be kept in mind during the festive season when alcohol fuels violence.

Furthermore, in the run-up to Christmas drunk driving also needs to be seriously considered.

Holtmann urges parents to remember children learn by example, don’t drive when drunk. “Many incidences of violence and injury are as a direct result of the abuse of alcohol.” With many families lacking a father figure and men feeling emasculated, young boys need to be taught how to command respect without resorting to violence and how to value the role of women and respect them.

“Living in a country with exceptionally high incidences of child and women abuse, often committed by people who are known to the victims such as husbands, fathers, relatives, family friends or acquaintances – South Africans need to be encouraged to report these crimes and seek help.”

The sense of community will also need to be reawakened Holtman advises – introduce yourself to your neighbours, become an active member of your community policing forum, find out if there are any community projects in your neighbourhood in which you can become involved.

“While we won’t stop crime dead overnight, each small bit of the elephant we consume will contribute towards making South Africa a safer country.”