The City of Cape Town has taken its fight to curb crime around Public Transport Interchanges (PTI) to a new level.
A new look Public Transport Facilities Safety Team was launched in Town Centre, Mitchells Plain on Tuesday.
The officers will fight crime, enforce compliance with by-laws while addressing informal trading matters.
According to Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, the team will be deployed soon.
“The deployment will be based on hotspot identification by our data analysts from the City’s Public Transport Department,” he said.
“I trust this initiative will contribute to our efforts to make transport facilities safer for our commuters, and those who are operating from these spaces.”
The City has already deployed officers from the Transport Enforcement Unit at the interchanges at Bellville, the station deck and Joe Gqabi.
City safety boss JP Smith says more boots on the ground are needed.
“We had 18 members and this adds another 16 members, that means we can cover more public transport interchanges, both with a static deployment and roving team that goes from PTI to PTI,” he said.
“We know, for example, there are safety and security issues at public transport facilities in Wynberg, Langa, and Mitchells Plain, to name but a few. They will be patrolling these facilities on foot, and doing inspections to prevent drug peddling, to ensure organised informal trading, and to address by-law contraventions. They will be able to make arrests, and issue fines.”
MEC for Mobility, Ricardo Mackenzie, added: “Getting people to and from work safely is a top priority for the Western Cape government. I am pleased that this partnership is resulting in concrete action to make public transport facilities safer.”