The City’s Safety and Security Directorate has had its hands full in the past week – but while all eyes were on the task awaiting the enforcement services, it has been a week of fires instead. The City’s Fire and Rescue Service responded to 1 014 incidents between Monday, 18 December and Tuesday, 26 December. Vegetation fires accounted for 65% of all incidents.
Festive season blown away by damaging winds and bad behaviour
The situation was compounded by a persistent south-easterly wind, with two warnings issued by the South African Weather Service for damaging winds.
Apart from the massive fires in Simon’s Town and Glencairn, the Fire Service was also called on to deal with large vegetation fires in Melkbosstrand and Ottery.
Damaging winds
There were also numerous informal structural fires and a building fire in Woodstock that is still being monitored more than 48 hours later, due to the nature of the materials in one of the affected buildings, which is a recycling plant.
MORE ABOUT: Fire and Rescue Service Department
“We know that there is an increase in fires over the warmer months, but the scale of it over this festive season has simply been staggering. And, while the weather has been a contributing factor, we can’t lose sight of the fact that many fires do start as a result of human error or negligence,” said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.
He added, “Our staff have worked tirelessly – the firefighters, but also Disaster Risk Management and the enforcement services who provide support with road closures, crowd control, evacuations and more. I take my hat off to them because it has been one of the longest hauls in recent memory, and it is not over. I want to ask the public to please do their bit to ease the load, but not just in terms of fire safety.”
He says the more than 400 arrests in the last week have not gone unnoticed, nor have the incidents logged at our Public Emergency Communication Centre.
GENERAL ENFORCEMENT: 18 – 24 DECEMBER 2023
The City’s enforcement agencies made 403 arrests and recorded 65 765 transgressions.
Cape Town Traffic Services recorded 34 320 speeding offences, issued 24 333 fines for various traffic violations, impounded 225 vehicles and executed 1 532 warrants of arrest.
A total of 69 arrests were made – 68 for driving under the influence and one for reckless and negligent driving.
403 arrests
Metro Police officers made 47 arrests, including 7 for driving under the influence. Officers also issued 4 730 fines for traffic and by-law transgressions.
READ MORE: Help control the risk of fires
Law Enforcement officers made 287 arrests and issued 2 382 notices.
The Public Emergency Communication Centre recorded 3 409 incidents over the long weekend up to Boxing Day.
3 409 incidents over the long weekend
This included 477 fires, 344 noise complaints, 287 assaults, 122 domestic violence incidents, 60 motor vehicle accidents, 29 incidents of self-harm and 25 accidents involving pedestrians.
Issued by: Media Office, City of Cape Town
