STATEMENT BY THE CITY’S EXECUTIVE MAYOR, PATRICIA DE LILLE

CITY OF CAPE TOWN 

19 NOVEMBER 2014

STATEMENT BY THE CITY’S EXECUTIVE MAYOR, PATRICIA DE LILLE

City has all hands on deck for festive season

The City of Cape Town’s Festive Season Coordinating Committee has drafted a comprehensive plan to ensure the highest level of preparedness for the busy holiday period. Read more below:

The busy festive season is upon us and the City of Cape Town has prepared its Festive Season Readiness Plan to ensure that we are equipped and prepared to deal with all emergencies and the increased number of people expected on our roads and in the city.

The plan cuts across a number of departments and focus areas include emergency response, policing, ensuring safety at public amenities such as beaches, road safety, cleansing, enforcement of by-laws, and substance abuse.

Cape Town has established a reputation as a top festive season destination, with increased visitors and internal movement of residents for leisure purposes and events. The City’s plan is designed to manage these increases while ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all concerned, especially on priority days like the Day of Goodwill, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

As a well-run city committed to ensuring the safety of our residents and visitors, we have prepared a multi-faceted plan that will be instituted by a Festive Season Coordinating Committee.

The City will make the following services available over the festive season:

• 1 430 Metro Police, Law Enforcement and traffic officers patrolling our roads and beaches and conducting operations across the city
• 900 firefighters available for any major incidents
• 240 firefighters on shift at any given time at the City’s 30 fire stations
• An additional 120 seasonal firefighters
• 250 lifeguards available a rotational basis; on average there will be around 70 lifeguards manning City beaches on any given day
• 1 864 temporary staff members to enhance the City’s cleansing services capacity

While Safety and Security will be the main implementing directorate of the Festive Season Readiness Plan, various other directorates will have specific focuses and sustain their services over the festive period.

I believe our Festive Season Readiness Plan will promote a safe, clean and enjoyable experience for all visitors and residents in Cape Town during the festive season. Further details of the plan are available here: http://www.capetown.gov.za/en/MediaReleases/Pages/Cityhasallhandsondeckforfestiveseason.aspx.

Where to get help over the festive season:

• Call 107 from a landline or 021 480 7700 from a cellphone for all emergencies
• The Street People call centre is available on 0800 827 201
• To donate R10 to organisations that assist street people, as part of the Give Responsibly campaign, SMS ‘Give’ to 38802
• The 24/7 alcohol and drug helpline is available on 0800 435 748

End

Issued by: Integrated Strategic Communication, Branding and Marketing Department, City of Cape Town

Media enquiries: Zara Nicholson, Spokesperson for the Executive Mayor – Patricia de Lille, City of Cape Town, Tel: 021 400 4998 or Cell: 079 416 5996, E-mail: zara.nicholson@capetown.gov.za