The City’s free child safety programme is off to a flying start, with almost 12 000 children registered at city beaches in just 48 hours since its launch on Monday.
The Identikidz programme, run by the City’s Community Services and Health Directorate, tagged 3 079 children on its opening day and a whopping 8 919 youngsters on Tuesday as families flocked to the coast during the peak summer season.
The initiative helps keep thousands of children safe at some of Cape Town’s busiest beaches by providing them with identification armbands containing unique serial numbers linked to their caregivers’ contact details.
No children went missing on the programme’s first day, while 11 youngsters were successfully reunited with their families on Tuesday – demonstrating the system’s effectiveness during the busy holiday period.
Strandfontein Beach proved most popular with families, registering 1 540 children, followed by Strand with 1 316 registrations and Muizenberg with 1 120 tags issued.
Programme provides extra layer of protection
The community, arts and culture development department (CACD) coordinates the programme, which allows parents and caregivers to register their children at participating beaches free of charge.
Children receive armbands with unique serial numbers that are recorded alongside their caregiver’s contact information, enabling beach officials to quickly reunite separated families.
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“Yesterday was just an indication of how popular and busy our beaches are. The sheer number of visitors can be overwhelming to smaller children and it’s easy for them to get lost,” said Mayco member for community services and health, Francine Higham.
“While child safety is the primary responsibility of parents and caregivers, Identikidz gives an extra layer of protection to our most vulnerable.”
Higham urged families to make use of the free service, particularly when children are visiting beaches with friends or extended family members.
Extensive programme rollout across city beaches
The programme will run for 15 days during the peak holiday season, operating from 09:00 to 18:30 on selected dates between 15 December and 18 January next year.
Families can access the service on 15–16, 20–21, and 25–28 December , as well as 1, 3–4, 10–11, and 17–18 January. Participating beaches include Big Bay, Camps Bay, Fish Hoek, Gordon’s Bay, Harmony Park, Melkbosstrand, Milnerton Beach, Mnandi, Monwabisi, Muizenberg, Sea Point and surrounding areas, Silwerstroom, Strand and Strandfontein.
The service will also be available at Maiden’s Cove on 26 December and 1 January for visitors to this popular holiday destination.
Comprehensive support system in place
CACD has deployed 53 officials and 159 Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) staff members to manage the programme across all participating beaches.
These teams work closely with other City departments, including the Disaster Risk Management Centre, to ensure comprehensive coverage and rapid response capabilities.
Officials are trained to register children and issue identification tags with parental permission, assist with reunifying lost children with their families, and collaborate with the provincial Department of Social Development, City enforcement agencies and the police when necessary.
Parents planning beach visits are encouraged to stop at the distinctive green containers upon arrival and ensure children have their contact numbers before leaving home.
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