- Police have launched an integrated safer festive season plan in Cape Town to tackle extortion, road safety, and serious crimes.
- The initiative involves multiple police units and City of Cape Town security directorates, supported by new vehicles and high-density operations.
- Demonstrations at the launch showcased police preparedness with stun grenades, smoke bombs, and blank bullets.
Police commissioner General Fannie Masemola alongside his provincial counterpart, Lt Gen Thembisile Patekile and provincial minister for police oversight and community safety, Anroux Marais have launched its integrated safer festive season plan on Thursday 17 October.
The launch saw the joining of several police units, with City of Cape Town safety and security directorates which will join forces with police in policing the province amid an expected influx of domestic and international tourists.
Masemola says police will focus on several key priorities which include extortion, road safety, the sale of stolen goods and domestic violence. High density operations under the Operation Shanela umbrella, roadblocks, stop and searches and the tracking and tracing of wanted suspects will dominate this period and an aggressive stance will be taken against serious and violent crimes so that the public can enjoy a peaceful holiday without the fear of crime.
The launch also saw the handing over of several brand new vehicles which will primarily be used by detectives.
In attendance were members of various police stations, community in blue, neighbourhood watch and other safety volunteers.
Officers from various units also hosted displays and exhibitions on how they would address an accident scene, an extortion attempt and protest blocking a police station.
These demonstrations made use of stun grenades, smoke bombs and even blank bullets in a demonstration of preparedness for these encounters.
Patekile also received and handed over the province’s tactical plan for the season.This was the first provincial launch since the national launch hosted earlier this month.
