Cape Town plans for a bumper holiday season

CITY OF CAPE TOWN MEDIA RELEASE

In anticipation of a higher than normal influx of visitors to Cape Town this summer, the City has launched a comprehensive safety and cleansing plan for the festive season. The final draw for the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup on Friday 04 December at the Cape Town International Convention Centre is expected to boost this year’s figure to over a million visitors.

Cape Town’s festive season will be officially launched on November 29 when Executive Mayor Dan Plato switches on the festive lights in Adderley Street followed by the traditional carnival parade. Other high-profile events linked to the final draw include a special mayoral welcome for the FIFA executives on 02 December and the Cape Town Final Draw Festival in Long Street on 04 December.

“The City of Cape Town extends a warm welcome to all visitors. The City will do its utmost to enhance their comfort and safety. At the same time, we appeal to visitors and residents to help keep our city clean and safe during the holiday period,” says Mayor Plato. As one of the most popular international holiday destinations, Cape Town offers a 307 km long coastline with 72 beaches and a vast variety of parks and nature reserves which will bustle with recreational and leisure activities over the next few months.

City Manager, Achmat Ebrahim, has established a dedicated Festive Season Co-ordination Committee, representing various City departments, to oversee the implementation of strategies to contribute towards a safe, clean and enjoyable experience for all visitors and residents during the festive season.

The committee, chaired by Richard Bosman, Executive Director: Safety and Security, has devised a co-ordinated plan to alleviate possible high risk eventualities including road traffic accidents, fires, safety and security at beaches, power failures, crowd surges and festival events.

“We particularly urge visitors to slow down and drive carefully at the major road construction sites such as the Koeberg Interchange on the N1 and to adhere to traffic rules at all times,” says Bosman. The following special measures have been put in place to enhance safety and cleanliness:

• The City's Disaster Management Team is on 24-hour full alert and is geared for all eventualities. The public may report any emergency (including medical, crime, fire and traffic) to the 107 emergency number from a Telkom line. Cellphone users need to dial 021 480 7700.
  
  
• Metro Police, Traffic Services, Law Enforcement, and Security and Specialised Services staff will be on duty over the festive season.
  
  
• Regular safety patrols will take place at tourist hot spots and other high risk crime areas. Targeted operations aimed at combating all forms of substance abuse as well as roadblocks will be executed throughout the festive season. The Metro Police's newly established dog unit will also be deployed for the first time during operations over the festive season.
  
  
• These safety initiatives include partnerships with other agencies such as the City Improvement Districts and Displaced Persons Support Unit.
  
  
• Fire and Rescue Services will be on high alert with over 700 full-time firefighters on a shift basis at 28 fire stations on standby across the city. An additional 116 seasonal firefighters will be deployed by December 15 to assist with bush and vegetation fires. Two helicopters, operating from the Newlands forestry station, will assist in aerial fire-fighting. All citizens are requested to heed fire warnings and practice fire safe measures at all times.
  
  
• The City’s partnership with Western Province Lifesaving will ensure that 115 multi-skilled lifeguards are on duty at 44 beaches, as well as at regional and community pools across the city.
  
  
• A total of 19 shark spotters are deployed at seven beaches, namely Muizenberg, St James, Kalk Bay, Fish Hoek, Noordhoek, Glencairn and Clovelly.
  
  
• Over R17 million has been budgeted for cleansing. Refuse removal will continue uninterrupted over this period (even on the public holidays). More than 900 additional cleansing staff will be appointed to clean-up business districts, scenic routes and beaches.

For holiday makers to have a safe trip, motorists are encouraged to ensure that their vehicles are in a sound roadworthy condition. The City’s Traffic Services will conduct free basic vehicle safety checks at the following traffic centres: Gallows Hill, Bellville, Kuilsrivier, Brackenfell, Hillstar, Goodwood and Durbanville, between 10:00 to 14:00 each working day from 11 December 2009 to 08 January 2010.

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Issued by: Jan Kruger, Media Liaison Officer, Tel: 021 400-1292 or Cell: 084 300 0630

Media enquiries: Operational: Richard Bosman, Executive Director: Safety and Security, Tel: 400-3355 or Cell: 079 269 2239
2010 World Cup: Pieter Cronje, Director: Communication and 2010 WC spokesperson, Tel: 021 400 4592 or Cell: 082 465 4965