NOT so long ago, 13-year-old Andrew Van der Zel was unable to ride to school on his bicycle because of the very real risk of being "bikejacked", with a knife at his young throat.
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His mother, Adri, says the risks for her daughter Tanya, 10, were as bad, including rape or worse.
"It wasn't a case of if, but when, and how bad," Adri said.
The family lived in Johannesburg and, like so many families in South Africa, they filled their daily lives night and day with defensive precautions.
"Dogs trained to attack were our first line of defence," Adri said.
"Our house was also surrounded by a seven-foot wall with razor wire and the doors and windows had heavy bars and locks and the house was fully alarmed.
"Even the children's school was surrounded by razor wire."
It didn't occur to the Van der Zels to leave South Africa until a family friend who had emigrated to Europe returned to Johannesburg for a brief visit.
"He said we should leave because we had no idea what a normal life was supposed to be like," Adri said.
Life has changed dramatically for Adri, her husband Paul, and their two children since the family came to Australia to live.
"It's friendly, safe and comfortable," Paul said. "It is so different to the life of fear and tension we left behind."
"Our prime reason for coming to Lake Macquarie was for the benefit of our children and we love it here. We are grateful for the opportunity."
The future is now bright for Andrew, who loves mathematics and is set on becoming an accountant.
Tanya's ambition is to be a vet.
Both children attend Avondale School.
Paul, a network engineer, commutes daily to Sydney while Adri, a qualified nurse, looks after their new Cooranbong home.
The family was among 54 new residents from 21 countries to each receive a certificate of Australian Citizenship at Lake Macquarie City Council's recent first Citizenship Day under new mayor Cr Jodie Harrison.