Mayor launches Festive Safety campaign
The campaign will see an increase in police visibility and by-law enforcement
The Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, councillor Herman Mashaba, has launched the city’s Festive Season Safety Campaign.
During the launch, the mayor, together with the Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Public Safety, councillor Michael Sun, conducted an inspection of various businesses and engaged with residents about fireworks by-laws, informal street trading, hazardous and/or flammable materials.
“I engaged with motorists and business owners on the importance of being vigilant against crime, as well as obeying by-laws.
Our festive season falls within the summer school holiday period, a time when many businesses scale down their operations, families go on holiday and, parks and shopping centres see an increase in visitors. Unfortunately, this is also the time of year when criminal elements take advantage of the relaxed atmosphere in our communities, resulting in homes or businesses being burgled.
This year, we have already seen an early increase in robberies at shopping centres, with cellphone stores, jewellery stores and cash-in-transit vehicles being targeted. Every year, we also see a profound disregard for by-laws and the rules of the road. Sadly, this disregard for the law sometimes results in the unnecessary loss of life,” the mayor said.
Residents were assured that during the campaign, there will be an increase in police visibility and by-law enforcement in an attempt to reduce crime, speed violations, drug and substance abuse, driving under the influence, illegal pedestrian movement on highways and overloading of vehicles.
The safety campaign will be focusing on various aspects of community safety, including:
• Crime prevention
• Reduction in road fatalities
• Reduction and prevention of driving under the influence
• Speed limit enforcement
• Vehicle and driver fitness
• Public transport compliance
• Pedestrian safety awareness campaigns
• By-law management
• Fire safety campaigns
• Management of firework displays
• Prevention of drowning
• Readiness for flash floods
• Anti-fraud and corruption campaigns
• Event, incident and traffic management
The Department of Public Safety will also conduct intensive Safety Education Outreach activations at major malls within the seven regions of the CoJ. The activations will aim to inform members of the public and business owners of risks and urge them to be vigilant.
The mayor concluded with the following, “As we launch our Festive Season Safety Campaign, I urge residents to cooperate fully, and remind them that we are all responsible for own actions. Our actions impact the lives of others in either a negative or a positive manner.”
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