Safety team to be deployed at public transport facilities in Cape Town

With the many transport strikes and criminal activity at transport facilities in the Western Cape, the City Of Cape Town has launched a safety initiative.

They will be deploying additional officers across Cape Town to curb criminal activities, enforce compliance with by-laws and address informal trading matters.

The deployment will be based on hotspot identification by their data analysts from the city’s Public Transport Department. 

“This will ensure that resources are deployed where most needed, based on sound evidence. I trust this joint initiative with the Western Cape Mobility Department will contribute to our efforts to make transport facilities safer for our commuters, transport operators, and all who use these spaces,’ said the city’s Mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis.

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The City already has officers from the Transport Enforcement Unit at the public transport interchanges at Bellville, the Station Deck in the Cape Town central business district, and Joe Gqabi.

Safety and security issues at transport facilities

‘The Public Transport Safety Team is a roving team. They are now busy with induction and once done, will be deployed where they are needed. We know, for example, there are safety and security issues at public transport facilities in Wynberg, Langa, and Mitchells Plain, to name but a few.

“They will be patrolling these facilities on foot, and doing inspections to prevent drug peddling, to ensure organised informal trading, and to address by-law contraventions. They will be able to make arrests, and issue fines. The team will work closely with their colleagues from the Transport Enforcement Unit, Traffic Services, and Law Enforcement,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith.

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‘Keeping Capetonians moving safely’

The City’s recently approved Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan (CITP) indicated that up to 22% of commuters use minibus-taxi services, and an additional 9% use bus services such as GABS, MyCiTi and Sibanye. 

“I’m sure the presence of these officers will make a huge difference, and I ask commuters and operators to please support these officers, and to work with them, so that we can keep Capetonians moving safely,” said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility, Councillor Rob Quintas. 

“Getting people to and from work safely is a priority for the Western Cape government. I am pleased that this partnership is resulting in concrete action to make public transport facilities safer. The presence of this safety team will not only improve mobility, but will also improve the environment for economic activity in these spaces,’ said Western Cape Minister of Mobility Ricardo Mackenzie.