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With the extended Easter holiday break kicking off today, the City’s Safety and Security Directorate is replicating many of its festive season interventions to keep locals and visitors safe. Read more below:
The City of Cape Town’s enforcement agencies are squaring up for a busy period, with schools closing today and back-to-back long weekends, including Easter.
The agencies will implement some of the aspects of the festive season enforcement plan, which includes a sharpened focus on drunk driving and other traffic transgressions, patrols along major routes like the N2, safeguarding beaches and other public areas, and doing duty at the many events that take place over this period.The City’s Traffic Service will also join forces with the Western Cape Traffic Department on Operation Exodus which aims to ensure vehicle and driver fitness – particularly in the long-distance transport sector.
‘I have noticed the grumbles of operators in recent days about the pending safety checks. They clearly have little regard for the safety of the hundreds of commuters who will be relying on them to get home to their loved ones for the holidays. I urge bus and taxi drivers, but also private motorists, to get their vehicles checked before they hit the long road. What’s worse – getting to your destination a little later or not at all?’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
The City’s Metro Police, Law Enforcement and Traffic Service will continue their regular operational duties including stop and search operations, warrant executions and general crime prevention patrols.
In recent days, City services recovered two unlicensed firearms and arrested a dozen suspects on drug-related charges in various parts of the city.
The Integrated Roadblock Unit arrested three suspects in Grassy Park on Thursday 17 March 2016 after receiving a tip-off from a member of the public who noticed them sitting in a parked vehicle in 2nd Avenue for a long time and became suspicious. Officers searched the vehicle and found a firearm.
In Manenberg, the Stabilisation Unit arrested a 31-year-old suspect in Sabie Crescent after he was found in possession of a 357 Magnum firearm and six rounds of ammunition. The firearms have been sent for ballistic tests to determine if they can be linked to other crimes.
‘These arrests should serve as a warning to our regular customers that we’ll still keep an eye on them. The perception that peak holiday periods divert attention away from the day-to-day enforcement is misplaced. We will ensure that we continue to have a presence in all areas, in spite of the increased demands. It becomes easier to do effective enforcement when you have members of the public who are willing to pick up the phone and report suspicious activity. We are seeing more and more people blowing the whistle on crime and I encourage them not to stop,’ added Alderman Smith.
Members of the public can call the 107 Public Emergency Call Centre to report emergencies and their call will be relayed to the appropriate agency. Callers can dial 107 from a Telkom landline or 021 480 7700 from a cellphone (enter the number on your cellphone as a speed dial).
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