Cape Town to deploy over 5 000 personnel for festive season

City of Cape Town ready with festive season safety plans

With the summer tourism boom and busy festive season a matter of weeks away, the City of Cape Town recently revealed its plan for safety over the period.

According to the City, this year’s safety operation will be bigger than ever, with a record figure of over 5 000 personnel to be deployed across the metro.

The City’s personnel will be supported 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.

Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis said that the City was ready and excited to welcome 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.” Mayor Hill-Lewis said.

“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.” Hill-Lewis added.

New tech to be introduced

The Mayor said that this year’s safety initiative would also incorporate many modern, technological elements such as:

• camera tech,
• automatic number plate recognition,
• smart dashcam systems,
• bodycams on officers,
• drones patrolling mountains as well as beaches,
• as well as Africa’s largest CCTV network.

“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.” Alderman JP Smith, City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security said.

“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,” Smith added.