Cape Town to make record safety deployment for 2024 festive season
13 November 2024
The City of Cape Town will deploy a record festive tourism 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 13 November during a road safety operation along Table View beachfront attended by Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis and Alderman JP Smith, Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security. Read more below:
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 City of Cape Town 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. Tourism supports tens of thousands of local jobs, and it is our top priority to ensure people have a marvelous time visiting Cape Town's world-beating attractions.
'The public can expect high-visibility policing at tourism hotspots across the City, from the trails of Table Mountain, to beaches, roads, shopping precincts, and our 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,' said Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis.
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.
Vehicle checkpoints will be commonplace on major routes to beaches, with officers clamping down on alcohol-use and anti-social behaviour in public spaces. Law Enforcement, Fire & Rescue Service, and Disaster Risk Management volunteers will be on hand to assist with public safety and awareness
'The City is pulling out all of the stops to make the festive season as safe and enjoyable for all law-abiding citizens and visitors. I appreciate that people will want to let their hair down, but I encourage them to do so responsibly and be part of the solution and not the problem. Alcohol misuse remains one of our biggest challenges, particularly on our roads, and in our recreational spaces. It bears repeating that the City's by-laws are very clear on the issue, and our staff will not hesitate to act,' said Alderman JP Smith, the City's Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security.
As part of the City's drowning prevention campaign, the City will deploy well over 600 lifeguards to beaches and public swimming pools.
Major cleaning efforts are further under way as part of the City's 'Spring Clean Cape Town' campaign to prepare for the festive season. This summer, holiday-makers can expect a top-up cleaning service targeting all beaches, scenic routes and central business districts. Cape Town's anti-litter mascot, Bingo, will also be making various public appearances to encourage people to “bin it in the Bingo bin" and keep Cape Town clean for all to enjoy.
Caption 1: Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis at the launch.
Caption 2: The City of Cape Town launched its festive tourism safety plan on 13 November during a road safety operation along Blouberg beachfront. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, Safety and Security Portfolio Chairperson Councillor Mzwakhe Nqavashe and Alderman JP Smith, Mayco Member for Safety and Security, outlined plans for the largest ever festive deployment of over 5 000 personnel.
Caption 3: Unformed staff will be out in full force over the festive season.
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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
