Following a dramatic dip in confiscations last summer when beaches were summarily closed due to lockdown restrictions, the City notes with concern that many people continue to disregard the by-laws prohibiting alcohol in public spaces.

The City’s enforcement staff have confiscated nearly 5 500 bottles of alcohol since 16 December.

That equates to 2 941 litres, which is slightly higher than the totals at the same point in the 2019/20 festive season.

‘These statistics are most concerning, as it means that people simply are not heeding our calls to leave their alcohol at home, showing very little regard for the law, their personal wellbeing and the safety of others around them. With the new year’s weekend still to come, I shudder to think what the totals would look like by next week. Drinking in public, and the antisocial behaviour that often comes with it is nothing to be proud of and it is time that we start calling out those who continue to engage in this selfish behaviour,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.

During general enforcement efforts over the past week, City staff arrested 189 suspects for various offences.

Cape Town Traffic Service made 45 arrests, of which 35 were for driving under the influence of alcohol. Officers also impounded 38 vehicles, 30 cellphones and issued 54 321 fines.

Law Enforcement officers made 72 arrests and issued 1 694 notices, while their Metro Police counterparts also arrested 72 suspects and issued 3 504 traffic and bylaw fines.

‘It has been a busy long weekend for enforcement staff, with Cape Town buzzing this festive season. I wish to remind the public that while beaches and public places are there for your enjoyment, you should do this responsibly. Don't bring alcohol to public places and certainly don't drink and drive. Continue to wear your mask and sanitise your hands to limit your exposure to Covid-19 so that we can keep the economy open for longer and enjoy it for more than just the festive season. I thank those of you who continue to celebrate the year end responsibly,’ added Alderman Smith.

Community Services and Health

The City’s beaches were very busy on both Christmas and Boxing Day.

On Monday, 27 December, several of the swimming pools were at capacity very early in the day, in spite of the gloomy weather conditions.

‘Sadly this period was not incident free. On Christmas Day, a 10-year-old boy drowned at the Camps Bay tidal pool. The City expresses its heartfelt condolences to his family during this difficult time. Our lifeguards also attended to three non-fatal drownings over the weekend, involving children. We ask that the public please work with our staff to ensure everyone’s safety, especially in our swimming areas. We are likely to have several more very busy days at our facilities, and as the City, we want everyone to have an enjoyable and safe day in the sun,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia Van der Ross.

Meanwhile, the City’s Identikidz programme is nearing the 50 000 mark for children tagged on priority beach days thus far this festive season.

Over the Chistmas weekend, 19 568 children were tagged at 16 beaches. A total of 142 children were reunited with their families – 51 at Muizenberg, and 24 at Strand.

This means that since the launch of the project ton 15 December, an overall total of 49 453 children have been registered and tagged on arrival at the beach, and 149 have been reunited with their families.