What is the purpose of your radio?

“Your radio is like a parachute, if it doesn’t work when you need it, chances are you’ll never need it again.” – Dawie Conradie

AfriForum has a national radio network with more than 7 600 radios, which are distributed among our 177 neighbourhood and farm watch structures. The network also includes 123 repeaters.

For the radio user, the radio is a lifeline, a fast and effective means of communication that allows members to summon help at the push of a button in the event of an attack or emergency situation.

The radio network is only as effective as the members who use it. In other words, your radio is only effective if there is someone who hears and responds to that distress call.

Purpose of a distress call and who should hear it?

The purpose of a distress call is to notify my neighbourhood watch, fellow radio users, neighbours and people near me of an emergency situation/attack. Each member of the radio network is ultimately responsible for the safety of his fellow radio users.

Although it would be ideal for all radio users to respond to an emergency call, this is not always possible. As a user, you do not necessarily have to be the one to respond to an attack, but you should be available to provide assistance via the radio. Where necessary, you can call services such as emergency medical services, SAPS, fire brigade and neighbourhood watch members.

You can be of effective assistance only if your radio is on and with you. Your two-way radio should be on AT ALL TIMES while you are in its vicinity.

Just as you want to be helped in times of need, you should be available to help others when they are in need. We cannot rely on cell phones to help us in times of need. When you are scared, the adrenaline goes to where you need it, you lose your vision (tunnel vision) and functioning of fine motor muscles, so you struggle to open your cellphone and then you have to look for the group too. Cellphone signals can be sabotaged and can be affected by planned or unplanned power outages as well as loadshedding.

Cellphone towers no longer have batteries because these batteries are stolen by unscrupulous people for their own gain.

So don’t turn off your radio after radio testing. If everyone turns off their radios, there is no one who can hear and respond to an emergency call.

Be safe and use your radio network.