The campaign is conducted annually as part of the city’s winter safety month, to promote public awareness on safety against fires and all forms of crime. While it targets all the city’s residents, it pays special attention to areas prone to fires such as shacks, and crime hotspots in formal settlements, on roads and bridges.
The walkabout team which comprised officials of the public safety department, police, Metro police and staff of Alex FM, walked from Eastbank to Setswetla informal settlement to promote the campaign by distributing pamphlets on fire and candle safety. They checked if residents used safety methods of placing lit candles in glass jars with sand-like material.
They also visited a shack suspected of being a possible crime hideout and home to persons suspected of profiting from illegal dumping, which was reported in Crackdown time, week ending 16 May.
According to Emergency Management Services’ chief director, Tshepo Makola the walkabout was planned as a proactive engagement with society to sensitise communities of seasonal dangers such as fire in winter. “We want to curtail these dangers before they occur, specially in poorly resourced settlements where residents are more vulnerable to all sorts of dangers.”
Metro police chaplain, Dr Phinda Ngwenya said the campaign was an effective method as it enabled officials to engage with communities more intimately, gain their trust and learn the true nature of their safety challenges. “We provide them useful safety information to enable them to make informed decisions on their household and community safety,” he said.
Details: EMS Public information, education and relations; 011 758 5050
