To curb
opportunistic crime at popular tourist attractions within the Cape Town CBD
this festive season, the Western Cape Government (WCG) launched its tourism
safety unit with Chrysalis graduates today (Tuesday 29 November).
The City of Cape Town also announced the expansion of
its tourism safety unit.
The WCG unit will comprise 26 Chrysalis graduates,
while the City’s tourism safety unit will now have 28 law enforcement officers.
The separate units will be focused on ensuring that
residents and visitors receive important safety information about tourist
attractions and services available.
The units will also coordinate the emergency
deployment of resources and technology.
Between 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022 in the 2021/22
financial year, the city’s tourism safety unit made 15 arrests, assisted nearly
2300 persons with general matters, and attended to 854 complaints.
Visible foot patrols will be conducted at the Table
Mountain Cableway, Lion’s Head hiking trails, and curb opportunistic
pickpockets and petty criminals at car parks and other high-traffic tourism
hotspots within the CBD.
They will focus on areas including Long Street,
V&A Waterfront, Cape Town International Convention Centre, Table Mountain
Cableway, Lion’s Head trails and the Grand Parade.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says with the bumper festive
season expected, visitor safety is crucial.
“Visible policing is but the most effective crime
prevention activity, and the members of this unit will join the thousands of
additional law enforcement officers we have deployed across the whole of Cape
Town this year. We are expecting a bumper tourism season and we are doing
everything we can to make sure that thousands of locals and international
guests, can safely enjoy the summer season in our beautiful City.”
Ricardo Meyer, law enforcement tourism safety unit
head, says since the unit’s inception it has made great strides in combating
crime.
This unit has made a massive improvement in minimizing
crime in hotspots like Bo-Kaap, Grand Parade, Signal Hill and Table Mountain.
We have arrested ATM fraudsters, we even located passports. Our common goal is
tourism safety.”
Reagan Allen, Western Cape Police Oversight and
Community Safety Minister, says: “I am delighted to celebrate that we have
this unit that will go a long way towards making sure that tourists are safe
but also that residents and locals are safe.”
JP Smith, Mayco member for safety and security, says:
“With the added additional resources set to bolster the unit, we are
confident we can again boast Cape Town as one of the world’s top travel
destinations.”
