While the weather might dampen beachgoers’ mood on Boxing Day, the national police ministry and also the City’s Law enforcement Agency, have confirmed that they are ready for any storm heading their way.
The Day of Goodwill, or more commonly known as Boxing Day, in the Western Cape is usually celebrated by taking your leftover Christmas food and heading to the beach to enjoy the sun and a cool dip in the waves.
However, according to weatherman brief showers were expected. It will be partly cloudy and with some sun in the morning with rain in the evening.
With schools and some industries closed for the year, the City expects an increase in holiday traffic volumes, and visitor numbers to beaches and other public amenities.
For this reason, the City’s festive season plan had to shift up a gear as the peak in the festive season approaches, explained the City’s Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith.
Smith said apart from the expected increase people at shopping malls and retailers, the City also expected an increase in traffic volumes as holidaymakers come and go.
“Visits to tourist attractions, beaches and other public amenities are also expected to increase. Our integrated policing plan will see deployment to all areas to ensure compliance with the City’s by-laws, and to support SAPS with crime prevention.
“Our Traffic Service also launched its annual Operation Exodus project yesterday. This allows public transport operators to undergo voluntary vehicle checks before they embark on their journeys. In addition, we will set up vehicle checkpoints around the major public transport interchanges, to check driver and vehicle fitness, as these long distance operators leave town.”
Beachgoers were also reminded that the long arm of the law is bound to catch up with them, if found consuming alcohol on the beach or in public spaces.
Smith added: “Not only will they be fined, but their alcohol will be confiscated too. Alcohol is a common denominator in so many incidents over this time of year, and it is best left at home, in the interest of public safety.
“Our liquor impoundment facility has opened this week, and it will no doubt have amassed a sizeable collection of confiscated liquor by next week.”
The City also confirmed that lifeguards would be stationed daily at City-managed swimming pools and certain designated beaches, to manage the influx of visitors, particularly in the bathing areas.
The City’s Mayco member for Community Services and Health, Patricia van der Ross, said hundreds of seasonal lifeguards will assist permanent senior lifeguards in managing water safety.
“Everyone enjoys a bit of fun in the sun, but there are rules in place and for very good reason. I implore visitors to our beaches and swimming pools to please obey the instructions of lifeguards, to swim only in areas designated for bathing, and to keep an eye on their children at all times.
“Parents, do not send your children to the swimming pools without adult supervision, and when they are in the water, make sure you can see them. The City works very hard to ensure the safety of our beach and pool visitors, but it is a shared responsibility. Don’t drink and swim, stay between the flags at all times in the designated swimming areas and if you are not a strong swimmer, rather keep to the shallow end of the pool or ocean.” Van der Ross added.
Meanwhile, the national Minister of Police Bheki Cele will launch the Western Cape phase of the Safer Season Inspection tour, tomorrow.
Cele will inspect operations as he embarks on the Western Cape phase of his inspection tour of the festive season police operations in all nine provinces.
The Nationwide Safer Festive Season Inspection Tour began in Limpopo province on Monday and will end in KwaZulu-Natal at the end of the month.
The minister’s spokesperson, Lirandzu Themba, confirmed to Weekend Argus that the tour was aligned with the theme: “Extending our reach through blue-light visibility”. It would focus on visible policing and special crime awareness and prevention operations; targeting crimes prevalent during the festive period, such as gender-based violence and crimes against children, as well as border security, and the contravention of road and traffic regulations.
Cele said every safer festive season plan is unique to the province.
“We once again usher in the festive season during a pandemic that has been devastating to our country. During this time, police will continue to ensure maximum compliance of the regulations, to minimise the spread of the virus.
“We know that criminals will try and take advantage of this time that is usually categorised by festivities, social gatherings and leisure.
“While we urge South Africans to remain alert and be aware of their surroundings at all times to avoid being easy targets for criminals, the country’s officers will be at hand.
“Their respective safer festive season plans are already in full swing and will be intensified as the year comes to a close. Operations are tailored to the needs of the province. I am sure the police will give criminals a hard time.”