ETHEKWINI Municipality Mayor, Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda, officially launched the City’s comprehensive Festive Season Management Plan (FESMAC) at the Durban Exhibition Centre last Wednesday.
Kaunda gave orders to members of law enforcement agencies and life guards clad in full uniforms, to prioritise safety of residents and tourists in the city over the peak holiday season.
“For our citizens and visitors to be safe, we need to work together as law enforcement agencies and close ranks on our roads, communities and various tourist destinations throughout the city,” he said. “We also call upon the community to work with us during this period and cooperate with our law enforcement officers on the road and life guards on our beaches so that we can save lives. Together let us ensure that we have an incident-free festive season,” said Kaunda.
He said there was already an increase in the volume of traffic on the roads and the number of people visiting local tourist destinations.
The Municipality has allocated huge resources both human and financial for the successful implementation of the plan. This festive season management plan, which is currently being implemented, will be in place up until the reopening of schools in January 2020 and beyond.
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This plan addresses challenges such as overcrowding at beaches, traffic congestion, contraventions of the National Road Traffic Act, crime, homelessness, side-walk congestion, by-law contraventions, excessive alcohol abuse in public, waste generation, separated children and adults, environmental health hazards, uncontrolled fireworks, and uncontrolled public celebrations.
“We wish to caution all who will be visiting our city to be patient and tolerant on the road. We urge them to ensure that they strictly adhere to road traffic rules and signs,” warned Kaunda.
He issued a stern warning that anyone who break the law will be arrested.
“Our Metro Police, working with SAPS and the KwaZulu-Natal Road traffic Inspectorate have planned integrated roadblocks throughout the city. Our law enforcement officers will be on the look-out for drinking and driving, drinking in public, drug and human trafficking, public indecency and sexual harassment, illegal firearms and dangerous weapons. We want to reiterate that our law enforcement officers will maintain high visibility 24/7 on our roads and tourism destinations, assisted by our CCTV cameras. The National Prosecuting Authority has also been brought on board to deal with crime perpetrated against tourists. We have appealed to the SAPS and the NPA to ensure that cases involving tourists must be dealt with speedily because they are in the city for a short period of time,” he explained.
Kaunda encouraged visitors to explore the city and tourism facilities in the townships, suburbs and central business districts during this festive season.
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