While surrounded by shoppers, businessmen, vendors, taxi drivers, journalists and Metro police officers, the MMC for Public Safety, Michael Sun, launched a road festive season safety plan in Johannesburg’s inner city.
Overall the Metro police presence will increase on all the City of Johannesburg’s roads until 31 January.
At the taxi rank on the corner of Noord and Wanderers streets, Sun spoke behind a podium, placed underneath a gazebo with Public Safety branding on it, the MMC called on residents to help create a safer environment during, what many refer to as the silly season.
“Most of the time we do these things on the highways and people only know us when they see a roadblock,” Sun explained.
“We are doing it here to say that this is where we should start to make the city safe, this is where a lot of people live.”
At the busy taxi rank, from where passengers are transported to places like Durban and Swaziland, was where the MMC decided to hand out informative pamphlets. He stopped at each taxi, spoke to the drivers and asked them to keep the passengers safe on the roads. Most of the passers-by were slightly confused with the Metro police presence but ended up taking pamphlets.
Sun said that car accidents, fireworks injuries and drowning injuries have increased over the past few years, especially over the festive season. Buyisa iJozi (Bring Back Jozi), a safety operation in the inner city, had already been in place before the operation kicked off.
“Operations continue on a daily basis covering traffic points, roadblocks, searches and establishment visits,” Sun said.
The department has already placed officers and patrol cars at hotspots and changed the foot and mobile patrol system. Metro police have identified suspicious businesses and spoke with others to connect their CCTV to the Metro police control room.
One of the Public Safety Department’s objectives is to gradually bring about a culture of responsibility – be it at home, on the roads and at events, through education.
Remember:
The emergency numbers are 10111; 10177; 011 375 9512.
Some safety tips:
- Wear visible clothing at night
- Avoid drinking and walking on roads
- Always wear your safety belt
- Do not text while driving
- Obey all rules of the road
- Reduce speed on wet roads
- Indicate your intent
- Do not make hoax emergency calls
- Do not attempt to cross flooded bridges, roads or shortcuts.
