The City of Cape Town is ramping up security measures at public transport facilities across Cape Town by deploying more law enforcement personnel.
This initiative is a collaborative effort between the City and the Western Cape Government, with the latter’s Mobility Department financing the Public Transport Facilities Safety Team as part of its mission to enhance public transport safety.
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‘This morning, I attended the launch of the new Public Transport Facilities Safety Team, which forms part of the City’s Transport Enforcement Unit, at the Mitchells Plain Town Centre,’ said Cape Town’s executive mayor, Geordin Hill-Lewis.
He continued, ‘The team will soon commence with active duty at public transport facilities where there is an urgent need for additional safety and security interventions. The deployment will be based on hotspot identification by our 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.’
The City has already positioned dedicated officers from the Transport Enforcement Unit at key transport interchanges, including Bellville, the Station Deck in the central business district and Joe Gqabi.
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Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security Alderman JP Smith elaborated, ‘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, that 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, ensure organised informal trading and 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.’
The City’s approved Comprehensive Integrated Transport Plan (CITP) shows that about 22% of commuters use minibus-taxi services and another 9% use buses like GABS, MyCiTi and Sibanye.
‘Thus, nearly one out of every three commuters uses a public transport facility where they board a bus or a minibus taxi to get to work and other destinations. We need to do as much as we can to ensure that commuters feel and are safe,’ said Councillor Rob Quintas, the City’s mayoral committee member for urban mobility.
He added, ‘Commuters’ perception of safety is closely linked to seeing officers on the ground, patrolling and doing crime prevention and doing what is needed to ensure an orderly and safe facility. 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 work with them so that we can keep Capetonians moving safely.’
Ricardo Mackenzie, the Western Cape’s minister of mobility, added, ‘Getting people to and from work safely is a top 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.’
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Picture: City of Cape Town