Ensuring visitor safety over the busy festive season will be a priority of the Cape Town Central City Improvement District (CCID), which is ready to ensure revellers enjoy what’s on offer in the vibrant inner city.
Jurie Bruwer, Safety & Security manager at the CCID, says the teams are ready. “Our festive season deployment strategy is already in place, and it will allow the CCID to quickly adapt to varying conditions on the ground and meet the security demands, day and night.”
Bruwer says areas with the highest foot traffic and tourist “hotspots” will be prioritised to maintain safety throughout the holiday period.
There will be a visible safety presence in the inner city around the clock, with the CCID’s 323 Public Safety Officers (PSOs) strategically deployed in three shifts 24/7, backed up by seven response vehicles, says Bruwer. Additional PSOs will also be deployed at night, if need be. The department also works with 16 CCID-funded Law Enforcement Officers and six CCID-funded Traffic Wardens.
HOLIDAY SEASON CRIME TRENDS
Bruwer says that according to crime statistics gathered by the CCID in its 1.6 km² footprint, and incident report trends, common issues that usually increase over the festive period include bank-card scamming, pickpocketing, theft out of motor vehicles, cell-phone theft and chain-snatching.
“Credit card scams are a huge concern. There is a special joint operation in place with our Law Enforcement partners to tackle this ongoing scourge.”
Bruwer says the modus operandi of criminals involves them dressing up as security guards and convincing unsuspecting tourists that they need a “permit” to walk in the CBD. “They then inform the tourists that while the permit is free, it can be obtained using a credit card. They hold up a numeric device or stick it to a wall in a secluded area, and watch as the tourist types in their PIN. Within seconds, the card is passed to an accomplice who disappears in a waiting vehicle and money withdrawn from the account.”
There are concerns that these activities may increase during the upcoming festive season. “Our teams will therefore be ultra-vigilant over this period,” says Bruwer.
Another common problem during the festive season is an increase in the number opportunists coming into town over the season, leading to the problem of aggressive and persistent begging – from tourists and visitors.
“We encourage tourists and visitors not to engage with aggressive or persistent individuals, but to report these incidents to our PSOs on patrol in town as they are trained to handle these situations in a way that maintains safety and respect,” says Bruwer.
FESTIVE SEASON DEPLOYMENT
To deal with these and other potential scenarios, Bruwer explains that a joint agency operational approach – between the CCID, SAPS, the City’s Metro Police, Cyclops (the City’s Strategic Surveillance Unit which manages the security cameras in the CBD), Law Enforcement and Traffic departments – has resulted in a targeted plan to intensify visible policing from December until March when the city centre is traditionally at its most busy.
“We encourage anyone needing assistance to approach one of our public safety officers. They are the most visible security presence in the City Centre, easily identifiable by their blue uniforms with bright green CCID-branded bibs and caps.
HOW TO STAY SAFE
Bruwer urges visitors to the CBD to be aware of their personal safety through top tips below:
- Be vigilant and aware of your surroundings.
- Walk in a group, if possible, especially at night when you should stick to well-lit areas, avoiding quiet, deserted places.
- Don’t wear valuable jewellery, especially chunky gold chains, as opportunistic individuals will target you to snatch the chain.
- Be vigilant with your cell phone to avoid cell phone theft and pickpocketing. Be careful when e-hailing a cab. Don’t stand on the pavement, tracking your taxi.
- Use a secure backpack that you can keep in front of you in crowded areas to keep your valuables safe.
- Don’t hand over your credit card or PIN to anyone. Remember! You don’t need a permit to walk anywhere in Cape Town. It’s a scam.
- Avoid remote jamming of your parked car by checking the doors manually to ensure you’re your vehicle is locked before you walk away. Don’t store valuable in plain sight in your vehicle.
“While you are out and about enjoying all that the beautiful Mother City has to offer, please be responsible for yourself, your friends and family and your possessions. Be sensible and remain vigilant, but most of all enjoy a fabulous festive season,” Bruwer concludes.
* To report any crime incident or to request assistance, call or WhatsApp the CCID 24-hour emergency control centre on 082 415 7127.
