eThekwini Municipality prioritise safety this festive season

ETHEKWINI mayor, Mxolisi Kaunda has made a vow that the city is not going to disappoint this festive season and it is ready to welcome the multitudes of holiday makers.

Kaunda said this at the official launch of the City’s comprehensive Festive Season Management Plan held yesterday morning (Thursday, 12 December) at the Durban Exhibition Centre.

ALSO READ: Tread carefully around crime scenes this festive season

Kaunda gave marching orders to members of law enforcement agencies and life guards clad in full uniforms, to prioritise safety of residents and tourists in the city during this busy time of the year.

“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 members of 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,” he said.

“Already we are experiencing an increase in the volume of traffic on our roads and the number of people who are visiting our tourist destinations. Therefore, the plan we are unveiling today encompasses inputs from all departments within eThekwini Municipality, the business sector, civil society organisations and the SAPS. Broadly, this plan seeks to ensure that the people of eThekwini and visitors are safe wherever they are in the city.”

Together let us ensure that we have an incident-free festive season.
You will agree with me that Durban attracts the highest number of visitors, especially during the Season

#FESMACMediaBriefing#ReadyForFes #FESMACMediaBriefing#ReadyForFestive#FestiveVibes#DurbanHasMore

— eThekwini Municipality (@eThekwiniM) December 12, 2019

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.

This plan addresses challenges such as overcrowding along 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 Mayor Kaunda.

He issued a stern warning that anyone who breaks 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 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,” explained Kaunda

Homelessness

Mayor Kaunda explained that to address the challenge of homelessness, the city has identified two sites that will offer safe accommodation for homeless people.

The sites, which are constantly going to be monitored by the police, are in Mansel Road and across the City View Centre.

“We would like to thank First National Bank for partnering with us in this initiative which is in line with our vision of creating a caring and livable city,” he said.

As part of the plan to keep the beaches safe and clean, the city will be deploying:

· 50 pool guides and 50 beach buddies to ensure that beach and pool patrons are kept safe;

· 250 000 arm bands to identify children who have been separated from their parents;

· 28 child minders who will be deployed from 6am to 6pm daily;

· 75 permanent and 60 seasonal ablution facility cleaning staff;

· 104 beach cleaning staff;

· 510 cleansing and solid waste staff;

· 252 litter pickers to augment the permanent and seasonal workers;

“We want to assure our visitors and residents that as a city we are going to deliver a crime-free and clean beach experience during this festive season. However, we request cooperation when we undertake intensive cleaning in and urge all to throw their refuse in the bins provided. This will go a long way in ensuring that our city is kept clean, healthy and attractive.”

Park and ride permits

To minimise traffic congestion at the beachfront, Metro Police will enforce the traffic management plan. The City will once again implement the Park and Ride system that will be based at the old Drive-In site. Visitors will then be ferried to the beach via shuttles and no taxis and buses will be allowed on the beachfront. Vehicle access to the beach will be controlled when it is necessary to alleviate possible gridlock. The municipality is also communicating with body corporates and hotels along the beach front to issue permits for residents.

Kaunda proudly said, the municipality has also invested millions of Rands into the Durban’s ‘Golden Mile’, stretching from Blue Lagoon to the harbor, in order to maintain, boost and drive Durban’s competitive edge in the tourism arena.

“The extended 8km beachfront promenade which now ends on the Point Waterfront has also enhanced our coastline, making Durban the tourism destination of choice.”

The City has also developed educational programmes to create awareness about road safety, littering, beach safety and substance abuse.

We wish to warn people who'll be visiting #Durban to be patient & tolerant on the road. We expect you to adhere to road traffic rules & signs.

We all have a responsibility to make this festive season peaceful & safe. #GiveThemWhatTheyReallyWant #ThursdayMotivation pic.twitter.com/ZbDEL6JrYp

— eThekwini Municipality (@eThekwiniM) December 12, 2019

The mayor encouraged visitors to explore the beautiful City and tourism facilities in the townships, suburbs and bustling Central Business Districts during this festive season.

He urged citizens to take responsibility to ensure that the festive season is peaceful and safe. He said, “I urge you to always cooperate with our law enforcement officers and share information that could prevent incidents of crime. We need to be mindful of the fact that safety is a collective responsibility. We therefore urge visitors and residents to look after their belongings and refrain from consuming excessive alcohol. Police must clamp down on all forms of criminality and maintain high visibility, particularly in the inner-city, the beach front, sand dunes and the promenade. We have full confidence in the police that they will deliver a safe and peaceful festive season.”

In his concluding remarks, Kaunda urged all residents to be ambassadors of the city by being hospitable because tourism has been declared the city’s only gold.

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