Emergency services were kept busy this Easter weekend in Cape Town

Emergency services were kept busy this Easter weekend, by several large scale fires sweeping across the mother city.

Major incidents were declared, with 2 occurring in Joe Slovo informal settlement in Langa, in Doornbach, Mfuleni and Khayelitsha. A total of 349 structures were lost and damaged, with 799 persons displaced. Sadly, 2 persons lost their lives, with another 2 suffering serious injuries.

In all incidents, the City was able to rely on an extensive fleet of firefighting appliances, which prevented further loss and injuries.

The frequency of fires in Informal Settlements over long weekends and public holidays is of great concern.

For the management of increased traffic flow, the directorate deployed all available technologies and utilized an integrated operational, high-visibility approach.

Congestion was managed in real-time and coordinated through the Joint Opperations Centre. With officers out on patrol, 14 motorists were arrested for Driving while Under the Influence (DUI)  of alcohol.

The operational approach is a fluid strategy document, assessed and revised on an annual basis, built upon the outcomes achieved over previous periods.

As our city maximises the benefits of cutting-edge technology, it is increasingly integrating this into our modern world policing approach.

Relying on much of this technology, enforcement services seized 8 firearms between the 25th and 30th March, with 5 coming out of the Steenberg precincts, one of the selected Shotspotter areas.

JPSmith