In a collaborative effort by all three policing departments within the City of Cape Town, 4 600 officers will be deployed to safeguard visitors and residents in the City during the festive season.
As thousands of holiday makers are expected to flood Cape Town in the coming weeks, the City last week tabled its 2022/’23 festive season preparedness plan at all the subcouncils.
The emphasis will be on public safety on beaches, tidal and swimming pools, main tourist attractions in the metro, as well as the prevention of land invasions and the management of protest actions.
“The festive season brings an increased risk of incidents that could affect public safety, as well as the delivery of services by the City due to increased visitors, increased movement of residents for leisure purposes and increased leisure activities such as events and festivities,” the report states.
Beach patrols and lifeguards
The purpose of the preparedness plan is to identify public safety risks and to mitigate against these risks through operational planning.
In accordance to the plan a total off 50 officers will be deployed at beaches in the northern suburbs that include Melkbos, Big Bay, Table View, Woodbridge and Lagoon Beach. The complement will consist of 14 traffic, 26 law enforcement and 10 metro police officers.
Beaches in the City’s western district from Seapoint to Fishhoek will have 152 officers on patrol from all three departments.
Other operational actions planned include deployments with the police for road blocks and to visit shopping malls.
Furthermore, the City’s 900 firefighters will be on standby at a minimum of between 190 to 230 firefighters on duty per shift around the clock at all 32 fire stations in the city.
Firefighters deployed
This year 120 seasonal fire fighters specially trained in wild land firefighting will be deployed at designated fire stations as of 1 December.
The department will also have access to the services of helicopters from 1 December for a period of five months.
The plan will make provision for lifeguards at all beaches along the city’s 307 km coastline, at 35 swimming pools and 13 holiday resorts.
In total 340 lifeguards will be deployed. However only 44 lifeguards will be at beaches in the northern suburbs.
The various departments will rely on their annual budget for the expected expenses during the festive season, but should this be exceeded requests will be made during the adjustment budget period.
Finally, and with a budget of R57,5 million the plan will incorporate top-up cleansing services covering all central business areas, scenic routes and beaches.
A total of 2 588 temporary personnel will be contracted to pick up litter on beaches, rocks and grassed areas.
On main beach kelp and shells will be removed and parking areas and the beach swept.
In central business areas manual street and pavement sweeping, litter picking and the removal of all illegally dumped waste will take place.
Areas at beaches and the CBD’s where frequented by vagrants will be disinfected and hosed down, while all scenic routes, highways and byways will be swept by mechanical sweepers.
