Cape Town is rolling out its biggest festive season beach safety operation yet.
Camps Bay/Jolame Chirwa/Unsplash
According to the Daily Sun, a total of 340 lifeguards have been appointed for beaches, tidal pools and coastal zones, while another 343 lifeguards will be on duty at public swimming pools. Teams will operate from 10 in the morning until 6 in the evening throughout the festive season.
Mayor Geordin Hill Lewis explains that the lifeguards will be visible, well trained and supported by a strong safety network. This includes enforcement teams, CCTV monitoring, drones and beach patrol units. The priority is to prevent drownings, protect children and maintain a strict zero alcohol policy on public beaches.
One of the most important initiatives returning this summer is the IdentiKidz programme. Children are tagged with wristbands that carry their guardians’ phone numbers. Last season the programme helped reunite more than one hundred and twenty thousand children with their families. The city expects even more participants this year.
Safety and Security Mayoral Committee Member Jean Pierre Smith confirmed that officers will work at full capacity. They will monitor beaches and public spaces, conduct roadblocks and vehicle checks and use real time surveillance to manage any incidents.
Community Services and Health representative Francine Higham reminded beachgoers to follow basic safety rules. She encouraged visitors to obey lifeguards, swim only between the red and yellow flags and keep children within sight at all times. Working together with officials helps create a safer and more enjoyable summer for everyone.
Beyond beach operations, the city is strengthening its broader festive season safety plan. More than four thousand uniformed staff will be supported by seven hundred new officers who will patrol roads, beaches and busy nodes. Highway patrol teams will operate around the clock, and an additional forty member unit will monitor the N2 corridor.
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