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Armed citizens defend their neighborhoods against extreme civil unrest and looting in South Africa

This is what I fear reaching the UK and UK from SA. 

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  • Comments (28)

    • 6

      A report from south african preppers on the crisis

      • 4

        So chaps, this is happening in SA, even though the news is no longer focusing on it. BUT a quick search shows violent civil unrest, looting, violence arson etc going on in the Congo, Kenya in Africa,  France, Belgium Holland and Germany are having violent organised civil unrest over covid lockdown and anti Vaxxers protests.   Mass lootings arsons robberys, shootings in many US dem controlled cities and states.   Arson and protests in Canada over indiginous rights. almost open warfare, mass murders, shootings and gang crime in Mexico, Venezuela, Columbia.

        Huge chunks of the world are being devastated by insane levels of rain whilst other parts are burning and baking in drought, etc.

        All these assorted events are indeed playing merry havoc with food / fuel production and shipping globally.

        I’m fearful now of food shortages and fuel shortages this winter, and I think it could become worse in many areas as those who rioted, looted, burned, disrupted and destroyed entire economic systems  start to realise there is no where left to buy food or fuel because they destroyed the industries or the businesses closed down and left because of unchecked crime.    This is likely to see those criminals and politically motivated anarchists looking to OUR neighbours for food, fuel, etc.

      • 2

        Worst case scenario… if this civil unrest came to your city Bill, what are some things you can see yourself doing to protect you and yours?

      • 4

        Just doing more and more of what I have been doing for years, a few examples. 

        Radio on 24/7 to local news stations/ Have breaking news alert apps on all phones.

        Insist on Front and rear house doors are locked at all times.

        We stock up WELL in advance so we dont get mixed up in panic buying situations ( better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it)

        No more shopping in larger towns /cities either for pleasure or essentials, I insist on us and the family travelling further if neccessary to branches of the stores we use but in SMALLER communities.

        No using large Hospitals / Chemists travel to smaller community services OUT OF BIG TOWNS.

        No more shopping after dusk

        No using public transport at all.

        No vacationing during times of duress

        ALWAYS have at least ONE family member at home with charged cellphone to hand

        Provide ESCORTED Transport to VULNERABLE family members to school, work etc

        Often do a drive by Recce before entering any carparks at Malls, Diners, fuel stations etc

        Insist family member only park in well lit areas, and REVERESED into blind parking bays so they only have to drive FORWARD to get out.

        ALL vehicles never allowed to go under 3/4 full, and must keep full Jerry can of treated diesel in each vehicle.

        If taking in a show/ movie / theatre etc we go and depart VERY situationally aware ( and covertly equipped)

        Store much more diesel and water ( dont allow gasoline powered vehicles in our family, just way to volatile)

        Increase stocks of

        Assorted lithium Batteries

        ditto       Ammo

        ditto       Script Meds

        ditto      Normal Pharms

        Remind families of bug out routes and rendezvous locations if trouble kicks off.

        Insist all family members have full core EDC gear when venturing out LOCALLY /  have GHBs if they venture further afield.

      • 3

        I especially like your idea of doing a drive by the area before parking and getting out. That is one idea that I haven’t ever had to implement and wasn’t even on my radar of something to do. 

      • 2

        Recce / Recon is your god, it gives you a tactical advantage AND gives you a choice of wether you go in or go elsewhere.  The way things are going in many cities at the moment I feel its ESSENTIAL we become 100% situationally aware BEFORE we commit to something ( shopping, dining, socialising, studying etc) .

      • 2

        I would just like to share the view of someone who lives in a city–for the past ten years San Francisco, and for the seven years prior to that New York City.

        I have never experienced violence personally, and seen nothing like what’s being described here. I’ve seen large-scale protests, but during them, no violence. A small number of protests have turned violent when groups of instigators refused to respect curfews, but I’ve never seen that because I did what every other sensible person in these cities does when non-violent protests end: go home. But burning trash cans make for good TV, I guess–media portrayals are wildly overblown.

        Like most people I know I get around on primarily on bike or foot, use public transit, and don’t even think about it. In almost 20 years I have never once had an issue worse than a flat tire. This is not to say cities don’t face problems, they do–drug use, homelessness, housing, and more. But despite a pandemic-driven rise in crime in 2020-2021, crime levels in cities are still dramatically lower than the highs of the 90s.

        So why am I on this site? Natural and climate-induced disasters. California in general and San Francisco specifically are going to get The Big One eventually, it’s a matter of when, not if. While not an issue in San Francisco, rural and suburban areas of the West are seeing unprecedented fires. Climate change is increasing storm intensity and raising sea levels, making hurricanes more of a threat to the east and gulf coasts. We’re as prepared as possible for those. But I was in NYC on 9/11, and for major blackouts. It did not descend into chaos, rather the opposite. People helped each other.

      • 1

        Can you tell more about what it was like to be in NYC during 9/11?

      • 3

        Haven’t thought about it in a long time. I worked on the 88th floor of the North Tower but didn’t go in to work until around 9:30, so I wasn’t there when the plane hit. I lived near Washington Square Park, about 1.5 miles north, and when I stepped out to head to the subway, I saw a big crowd looking down 6th Ave before I looked up and saw the first tower on fire. Someone said a plane had hit it, and other people were speculating it was little, like a Cessna—everyone presumed it was an accident. After a while I realized my parents were probably watching this on TV and freaking out that I was in there, so I went back to my apartment to call them (cell didn’t work). Couldn’t get through, and as I was walking back out the second plane hit. Didn’t see it, but heard a horrible collective scream from the crowd watching. It was immediately clear it was terrorism. Stood dumbstruck in the crowd and watched them burn, and fire engine after fire engine stream downtown, and never thought for a single moment they would collapse. From where I stood (Houston and 6th) I could see things falling off the north tower, and thought they were window panes, but from what I learned later I’m pretty sure it was people jumping. After the first tower collapsed—I remember being surprised it fell straight down instead of toppling, and at how the exterior girders peeled away—I have a crystalline memory of first thinking everyone in my office must have died (amazingly they all escaped, which is another story), and second, that this was going to fuck up the world situation for a long time. I wasn’t able to reach my family to tell them I was alive until that afternoon. Despite all the sirens, that night was weirdly quite in my neighborhood, because traffic wasn’t allowed below 14th street—but you could hear skateboarders out, taking advantage of the empty streets. The following days were constant sirens, and people posting pictures of missing loved ones, and spontaneous memorials at every fire house. I walked a few miles uptown a few days later, which was very weird—with traffic open, and no smell and fewer sirens, it seemed almost normal, like a different city. Downtown it took months to put the fires out, and for blocks around the pit there was a horrible acrid burning smell in the air. You could see the wreckage of twisted girders for months too, since they didn’t bring heavy equipment in while they were searching for survivors (there were almost none), and then remains. People were, overall, amazingly kind to each other for a long time after, both locals and people who came to help. Some guys drove a big BBQ truck up from Texas and fed first responders and construction workers for weeks. But along with the kindness there was a constant level of ambient stress. A lot of heavy drinking. I’d never seen a fight ever in NYC, and within a few months saw three—two of them in bars after fire fighter’s funerals. I’d gotten divorced earlier in the year, and then with my work in disarray, I didn’t have much holding me there, so I moved away mid-2002. Which I felt guilty about, like I’d abandoned the city in its time of need. For years after my heart would pound and I’d reflexively scan the sky whenever I heard planes. I hardly think of it any more now, and am a little surprised at myself for over-sharing here. But you asked, so I’ll hit Submit. Take care.

      • 3

        That certainly is something you will forever remember, and I am grateful you have taken the time to share it me and the others on here.

        I’ve watched a few documentaries over the years on the disaster and something that they never mentioned that you just taught me about is how long it took to put out the various fires.

        That is nice how there was a general increase in the amount of kindness, but sad that everyone was on edge and there was also an increase in heavy drinking.

      • 1

        Good evening John,

        Some news scenes are not overblown by media for bigger ads.  They’re just not reported.

        I was a soldier working riots in 1968 and 1969. They were deadly. We’ve had some smaller scale riots a few years ago with the intensity of the 1968 riots.  Can say what cities we worked. From one of my vet organizations, learned that USMC during the D.C. riots had belts of live ammo on floor of jeep with mounted machine gun. This was not filmed.

        It’s still going on but at smaller scales.

        Transmitting from Hurricane Alley, Virginia where nearly ready for pending hurricanes. Here, it too is the weather events combined with anti-terrorism matters. The rubber boots/Welington’s ready also.

      • 1

        Hi Bob. There have been major riots, I don’t disagree. I was born in 1970 but understand the 1968 riots in many cities were serious, and deadly. We had a deadly insurrection just this year.

        But I’m reporting what I’ve seen with my own eyes, not in the media. I’ve lived mostly in NYC and SF since 1996, with a stretch in rural Maine in between (it’s not just cities I appreciate). I wish SF would clean up the downtown, and minor property theft like shoplifting is a big problem that isn’t taken seriously enough. But by and large we just don’t have major security concerns.

        We all seem to be facing either too much water, or not enough. Drought here, and we have a 50 gallon drum in the garage in case an earthquake breaks the mains. The city still remembers 1908–our system of cisterns is extensive and well-maintained (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/1908-cistern-circles)

        Regards,
        John

    • 4

      That sure is some incredibly sad and scary stuff going on that I wasn’t aware of. The people of South Africa will be in my thoughts and prayers.

      I know you have fears of this coming to the UK, but the reasons behind the protests seem to be pretty localized to those who want to free that president and those who don’t. I don’t see many other nations getting involved because it isn’t their president that is imprisoned. I do hope that some nations can step in and help restore law and order however to prevent more destruction and bloodshed.

      • 2

        I see different TRIGGERS in assorted countries,  Covid restriction, George Flloyd, Political Corruption, Mass Unemplyment but the end result appears to me to be orchestrated attacks on the civil infrastructure in all the countries.

    • 3

      Thank you for taking the time to share this piece of recent news with us. The images are frightening of what can happen. I personally have lived in denial that this would never happen to me where I live, but I need to get over that mindset and realize that it could.

      I’ve been to South Africa twice and it is such a beautiful and wonderful country. It hurts my heart to see things going down like this.

      I hope you don’t mind me editing the title of this forum post to give a bit more description of what it is about. You are welcome to edit it more if you would like.

    • 5

      Good morning Bill,

      This is both important and urgent to address.

      It’s also here in pockets of sections of the upstart colonies.

      This last winter my wife (Chinese) was shot at.  She no longer goes out alone and then only in select areas during daytime.

      We don’t have anarchy nor end of world approaches; just too stretched and too small of needed public sectors to address this.

      • 2

        Very sad to hear that your wife was put through that Bob. Some people can be so cruel and horrible. That would put such a bitter taste in my mouth if someone did something like that towards my wife or children. 

      • 2

        Good morning Peter,

        Appreciated reading thoughts on this.

        Can’t place much on web other than to say “event” did not occur on my land in this rural backwater (rural but not remote) but in nearby big city where we’d tradionally shop.  This is now history. We acceralerated our stockpiling and avoid the big towns except for health care matters.

      • 3

        Outrageous attacks on Asian communities is obscene and unacceptable BUT, theres always a BUT unfortunately. Be it New York or LA or London or South Africa, the main section of society who have been wildly rioting, burning, shooting, assaulting etc are after they have created the INITIAL devastation appear in many places to be turning against Asian and Hispanic people and businesses.

        As far as I can grasp ( opinion not evidential) The black community in SA and the US have seen their own communities (in certain areas) remain impoverished and deprived. but the asian and hispanic origin migrants who arrived in those areas AFTER the black communities have been far more sucessful in bettering themselves educationally and economically, and this is breeding great resentment within the black community resulting in the violent backlash.

        Personally I believe there are forces at play trying to destabilise and disrupt our countries by creating division among the different races and religions.

    • 2

      The man in the video makes a good point that the South Africans are in store for some long issues and problems that they are causing themselves by their actions. The unnecessary looting and destruction of their shopping centers is going to shoot themselves in the foot further down the road when they need supplies and there isn’t going to be anywhere for them to buy it from.

      If all this was going down in my area, I would probably lock down my house into a small version of fort knox and stay bunkered down until things get better. Hopefully my preps are in good enough shape to allow me to do this.

    • 4

      So folks here is an updated SITREP with good advice from SA Preppers and some of the lessons they have learned ( such as their own government criminalising the storing of extra fuel, AFTER the refineries went offline)

      • 2

        He’s definitely correct when he says there are far worse videos out there. I’ve seen a lot of clips coming out of this that are far more violent than what’s in the news, and show how violent it’s really getting over there. There are several clips showing how bad the odds really are, as groups of 30-40 locals stand off against a wave of several hundred rioters bearing down on their community. 

        One big takeaway I’ve seen from this is the importance of community. The only way these communities are going to survive is by handing together to defend each other as many have been. You can’t fight off 100 people by yourself. Situations like these also prove the value in having a full fighting loadout with a rifle and knowing how to use it. This is exactly the kind of scenario in which they are needed.

      • 3

        Good morning TITW,

        FWIW, without changing anything – only to augment – would highly recommend any community organization get affiliated with some recognized program such as Neighborhood Watch.

        This places community org under the auspices of the authorities. Here in Virginia it’s unlawful to assemble a paramilitary as interpretated by the political establishment.

        With Neighborhood Watch (or related) community group becomes OK.

      • 2

        Good morning Bob,

        While organized programs may have their place, if we ever reach this level of widespread chaos and civil unrest, the last thing I’m worried about is whether or not the government says we can assemble. In fact much of the police force in SA have either abandoned their post or joined in with the looting.

        If you’re trying to form a group and train before we get to that point, I recommend discretion whether the government allows it or not. Take your group and go play airsoft, go on “birdwatching” trips in the woods, meet up for “pizza night” once a month, and most definitely do not post about any of it on social media.

        It’s ironic they have such restrictions, the Virginia state motto is Sic semper tyrannis after all.

      • 2

        Wow, how interesting!  The most we have had so far in Australia are the Covid protests.  I did notice a few armed robberies beforehand.  Our country gives its citizens money, but last year the funds were much higher. Some people aren’t allowed to leave their local area – not even to work – and the Govt funding is quite inadequate. We have a very strict lockdown, but thankfully I am a few suburbs away from the epicentre now.  So, while it is not South Africa – things are brewing here with Delta variant loose in Sydney.  I have all my Covid medicines, test once a week(its free), keep a full tank and food supplies, but have learnt a lot during this as to what foods and products ended up short last year.  I have to redo all my preps to suit this situation constantly as the legislation changes. South Africa is a great lesson in prepping, so I have taken note of this situation. We have it on the news here, and I think it is actually worse than the USA riots.  Food has become my focus as we are on stay at home orders.  I am trying to implement a healthy balance to life.  It’s so easy to just laze around all day!  We are also aware of all the violent murders of white farmers.  Key to moving around Sydney is knowing the legislation and what you can and can’t do.  It has been like Russian Roulette choosing a store to go to, hoping you dodge Covid and a 14 day quarantine! I don’t think you really value the vast freedom you had until you’ve lost it.  

    • 1

      you’ve already had major riots – with your demographics a pure racial domestic civil disturbance is not the only concern >>> vehicle vs pedestrian attacks and outrite street attacks like beheadings are all pre-cursor indicators ….