Blow the whistle on Guy Fawkes ‘revelry’
28 October 2022
The City’s enforcement agencies will increase patrols
in areas that have proven problematic on 5 November, but the public is advised
to please do their part and report illegal or anti-social behaviour.
Last year, the City's Public Emergency Communication Centre received 334 calls related to the illegal discharge of fireworks between 1 and 5 November, and 61 calls about the illegal sale of fireworks.
Just over 80% of these calls were received on Guy Fawkes.
Enforcement services staff too responded to numerous complaints and incidents of groups of young people roaming around and attacking pedestrians and motorists.
Some of the incidents logged were:
- a group of children that attacked a Waste Mart truck in Macassar, pelting staff and the vehicle with stones and balloons filled with paint and other liquids. A Metro Police vehicle was also damaged during this particular incident.
- Attacks on motorists along Prince George Drive, but also pedestrians
- A motorcyclist sustained minor injuries when a bottle was hurled at him, and he fell off his motorcycle
'We have to change the narrative around Guy Fawkes, but this is not something that the City alone can do. It ultimately boils down to common courtesy and respect, and this needs to be inculcated at home. Our appeal is to residents in hotspot areas to stand up against the destructive behaviour that has become associated with this day. If you see anything suspicious, or are aware of mob attacks or the illegal discharge and sale of fireworks, please report it to the City's Public Emergency Communications Centre on 021 480 7700 from a cellphone or 107 from a landline,' said the Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
The City would like to remind residents that it no longer provides designated fireworks sites for Diwali, Guy Fawkes or New Year's Eve, and that no fireworks will be allowed, unless a permit has been obtained to host a fireworks display.
The sale or storage of fireworks is only allowed if the necessary permits are in place, no person under 16 is allowed to handle fireworks, and the discharge of fireworks without a permit, is prohibited.
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
