As part of the City’s commitment to building a Safe and Caring City, it has always considered the safety of its residents a top priority, focusing on areas that pose any threat to its citizens to ensure that people can live and work in comfort.
The use of public transport, and travelling on the city’s roads, forms a large and necessary part of the daily lives of Cape Town residents and it is the City’s mandate to ensure that commuters can travel in safety and with dignity.
The City manages over 200 public transport interchanges (PTIs) throughout Cape Town and law enforcement is a primary focus area as part of its commitment to being a Safe City. Security at PTIs is currently provided by various private security companies and supported by the City’s Law Enforcement, Traffic Services and Metro Police and the South African Police Services (SAPS).
The City has also introduced a specialised Law Enforcement Unit, the Transport Interchange Unit, which deploys dedicated officers to various major PTIs, focusing on Joe Gqabi, Bellville and the Cape Town Station Deck. This has seen a marked reduction in crime and vandalism through the enforcement of the City’s Bylaws.
One of the biggest threats to the safety of commuters is vandalism and anti-social behaviour. Daily patrols by the Transport Interchange Unit ensure that PTIs are monitored and that every effort is made to maintain and improve the commuters’ overall experience of public transport in Cape Town.
In addition to all the bylaw and traffic enforcement, members of the Transport Interchange Unit on the Station Deck have over the last three months made five arrests for possession of drugs, four arrests for drug dealing and one arrest for drug trafficking (by homeless people who were transporting the drugs for the dealers). The Unit has also issued 12 fines for the illegal use of substances.
Regular general and targeted operations are also conducted by Metro Police. There is a zero tolerance approach to lawbreakers at PTIs and Metro Police officials employ the full scope of their authority and resources to enforce this.
Metro Police Officers have made two drug-related arrests on the Grand Parade since the six-month focus in the CBD (in particular the Station Deck, Grand Parade and bus terminus) commenced in March this year.
Apart from regular foot and vehicle patrols, seven vehicle check points and four operations were conducted on the Station Deck, Grand Parade and bus terminus, which resulted in 354 traffic fines being issued and 15 by-law offences recorded.
The Metro Police will intensify operations with the upcoming Festive Season, in addition to their daily patrols. At the same time, additional Law Enforcement staff are to be deployed, with four extra PTI Unit members being added to the Grand Parade through external funding in terms of the ‘Rent-A-Cop’ programme.
Consistent and visible policing has always been an effective deterrent, along with the knowledge that officials will assist when and where required.
The City’s Drug Busters and Transport Interchange Unit have also engaged with sources to find out more about alleged drug dealing and we will be adapting our strategies accordingly with additional and focused operations.
Members of the public are encouraged to report any misconduct to the South African Police Services or the City on 021 596 1999.
While the City’s limited enforcement staff capacity will not allow it to act as a substitute for the 15 000 SAPS members deployed in Cape Town, Law Enforcement Services and Metro Police have put the safety of commuters as their top priority, and the City of Cape Town will do everything it can to ensure that the experience commuters have on public transport is safe and comfortable.
