The City of Cape Town will deploy a record festive safety operation of over 5 000 personnel across the metro ahead of the expected summer tourism boom in the Mother City.
The plan was launched on Wednesday during a road safety operation along Table View beachfront attended by Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security.
Hill-Lewis warned motorists that there will be roadblocks every day throughout the festive season.
“This year the City’s personnel will be bolstered by metro police trainee participants in the Project 1000 learnership programme, together with over 4 000 uniformed enforcement and emergency personnel available in shifts as part of the City’s largest ever safety deployment over a festive season,” the mayor said.
“The City is ready and excited to welcome tens of thousands of visitors for a record-breaking festive season this year. Our extensive Festive Season Safety Plan aims to ensure that everyone has a safe, enjoyable time in the Mother City.”
Hill-Lewis said mense can expect high-visibility policing at crime hotspots as well as tourist attractions, from the trails of Table Mountain, to beaches, malls, and main business districts.
“As part of our major safety technology investment, our safety operations will integrate cutting-edge camera tech, including automatic number plate recognition, smart dashcam systems, bodycams on officers, drones patrolling the mountain and beaches, and Africa’s largest CCTV network.
“A Metropole Integrated Joint Operational Centre (JOC) will coordinate city-wide operations from the Traffic Management Centre (TMC) in Goodwood, linking into four Area JOCs in different parts of the City, integrated beach JOCs, and the SAPS Command Centre.”
The Mayor added: “There will be roadblocks every day, I want to make it clear to anyone who thinks they can drink and drive this festive season, you will not get away with it, so please don’t even try it, you will get caught and the consequences will be severe.”
The City will deploy over 600 lifeguards to beaches and public swimming pools.
mandilakhe.tshwete@inl.co.za