Combating the misuse and abuse of alcohol in public areas will be the top priority of law enforcement in Cape Town during the upcoming festive season.
This comes as the City of Cape Town and SANParks embark on a safety and awareness campaign ahead of the busy holiday period.
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Yesterday, Mayco member for safety and security, Alderman JP Smith, said the consumption of alcohol in public spaces would once again be targeted as it poses a major safety risk, especially in terms of water and road safety, as he appealed to the public not to drink and drive.
“It is a mammoth task, but one that we have refined over many years of implementation,” Smith said.
“However, the plan is also contingent on everyone doing their bit and so I appeal to the public to work with us this year by taking responsibility for their personal safety.”
“Be aware of your surroundings at all times, know where your children are and ensure that they are supervised at all times but most importantly, leave the alcohol at home, and when you have been drinking, please don’t get behind the wheel of your car.”
Smith added that the City’s enforcement agencies confiscate thousands of litres of alcohol annually, especially on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Mayor of Cape Town Geordin Hill-Lewis further confirmed that traffic services, metro police and law enforcement departments would be deployed in accordance with the festive season preparedness plan.
Meanwhile, Table Mountain National Park manager Frans van Rooyen told IOL that their education campaign was underpinned by the belief that a safe visitor was an informed visitor.
“We appeal to park users to exercise caution while enjoying outdoor activities and always adhere to our visitor safety information tips and also load our emergency number into their phone before setting off.”
“As we head into the busy season where we anticipate a large influx of visitors in the park, there are some challenges that tend to arise and we as the park would like to proactively create awareness of preventative measures that visitors should be aware of as they enjoy their time on the iconic mountain,” Van Rooyen said.
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City to clamp down on alcohol abuse, non-compliance this festive season
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