Last week the summer started showing its teeth in the Drakenstein Valley when temperatures soared close to 40 °C, already seeing residents head for the Berg River in Paarl for some cool relief.
Through the years the behaviour next to the Berg River in especially Paarl has been a bone of contention for many.
On very hot days hundreds of people flock to the river and unfortunately this often leads to rowdy and illegal behaviour as well as gross littering.
Two years ago there was absolute chaos along the embankment in central Paarl when busloads of people were brought in from Cape Town to lounge along the river.
The river, in which swimming is illegal, became a mass of uncontrollable people, with hordes dangerously jumping off the arboretum bridge into the river.
Each year drownings also take place in the Berg River and the few safety buoys along the embankment have been stolen.
According to Drakenstein Municipality they will tackle this issue as well as that of the many contraventions of municipal bylaws, with a safety plan that will be executed from 1 December 2023 to 28 February 2024.
This plan strives to manage the area and promote public safety during the summer season in an integrated and sustainable manner, said Eda Barnard, the new director of public safety at the municipality.
She said that the operational partners are the municipality’s Law Enforcement Services, Traffic Services, and Fire and Rescue Services, the South African Police Service, private security firms, neighbourhood and farm watches, the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Community Policing Forums (CPFs).
“The Berg River precinct in Drakenstein will continue to be regularly patrolled by law enforcement agencies (through foot, bicycle, and vehicle patrols as well as vehicle checkpoints), and contraventions of the law will be dealt with.
“We ask our residents to please cooperate, adhere to instructions displayed on noticeboards on the riverbanks, and use the toilet facilities provided by the municipality.”
Residents and visitors can report any illegal activities to 080 131 3553 toll free (all hours) or 021 807 8508 (all hours).
