Places of worship make the safety grade

15 April 2025

The Disaster Risk Management Centre (DRMC) has concluded the third emergency planning workshop for places of worship since August – highlighting but one of the many disaster prevention and mitigation programmes that the centre facilitates each year.

On Saturday, 12 April 2025, the Disaster Risk Management Centre acknowledged the efforts of the latest group of participants – handing over 17 certificates at a graduation event.

The training took place over three consecutive Saturdays and concluded with an emergency exercise at the Hindu temple in Cravenby, where the drill scenario was an armed robbery.

Participants engage in interactive sessions and practical exercises to gain valuable insights into emergency response protocols, evacuation procedures, and risk mitigation strategies. The programme culminates with an emergency exercise that allows participants to apply their newly acquired knowledge and skills.

The programme was developed in response to a number of incidents targeting places of worship in the country – the DRMC collaborated with various religious organisations, the Fire and Rescue Service, South African Police Service (SAPS), and Emergency Medical Services.

‘It is daunting for participants to work through scenarios around potential violent crime incidents, as our places of worship have done, but we thank them for leading from the front. Work will continue to expand the list of participants, so that we can keep these sacred spaces safe for people to freely practice their beliefs.

‘The work around disaster prevention and mitigation doesn’t attract the same attention as disaster response, but in many ways it is even more critical. Every year, our Disaster Risk Management Training Centre takes hundreds of organisations and facilities through their paces, whether in basic first aid, drafting emergency plans or how to manage evacuations safely. And while we hope that the participants never have to use any of that knowledge, it is better to be prepared and know what to do in the face of a crisis, than not,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.

For the financial year to date, the DRMC Training Centre has facilitated different types of training for at least 200 participants – 43 of them have represented  places of worship.

Participants have included other City departments and facilities, schools, old-age and hospice facilities and the corporate sector.

Captions 1 & 2: The most recent emergency exercise at the Hindu Temple in Cravenby
Caption 3: The recent graduation ceremony at the Disaster Risk Management Centre in Goodwood

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Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office