MMC for Public Safety, Cllr David Tembe

MMC for Transport, Cllr Funzela Ngobeni

Acting Chief of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department, Thulane Maxwell Khanyile

Head of the Joburg Emergency Management Services (EMS), Tshepo Makola

City Officials

Members of the Media, 

It was almost two-weeks ago when we gathered at the St Mary’s Cathedral in the inner city, for a multi-faith prayer service in recognition of what you, the City’s Public Safety Officers, do to keep Joburg’s communities safe, and the enhanced dangers you face over the Easter and school break period.

Despite the thousands of residents who will leave Joburg to spend time with family or simply to holiday in different parts of the country, there is still a City of residents and visitors that must be kept safe and secure by you.

You know better than most that a lot of the death and injury that tragically happens over this period is avoidable, especially if we all play our collective and individual roles.

We are not gathered here today to merely exhibit the public safety resources that the City has at its disposal, and assure residents and visitors that we are ready for the next few days; but part of ensuring that we keep the City safe is to raise awareness about the dangers of reckless behaviour on and off the City’s roads.

An analysis of the top causes of fatalities on the roads, points to the need for police to increase visible and proactive initiatives and for road users to take personal responsibility.

During the last peak road-use season over December 2021, the top causes of fatalities were jaywalking, speeding, wet or slippery road surfaces, overtaking across barrier lines, and poor visibility.

It is clear that there are environmental factors, like wet road surfaces, we must equally adjust our behaviour when it rains, as it is forecast to do over the next few days. We must slow down, switch on our headlights and maintain a safe following distance of at least three vehicles. And as a gold standard, you must not drive or walk the streets after having consumed alcohol. 

What leaves me feeling nervous over the next few days is the vulnerability of the City’s economic infrastructure, a situation that has been compounded by the re-introduction of rolling blackouts on Monday evening, and which is set to this evening despite being suspended for the afternoon.

Over the last few weeks, we have seen an increase in attacks on the City’s power infrastructure as well as traffic management systems. Regrettably two lives have been lost at the hands of heavily armed gangs.

I therefore ask that you keep your ears and eyes open and be the guardians of the City’s economic infrastructure. 

With that said, I understand that you cannot do this alone, which is why I have asked both National and Provincial stakeholders to bolster our efforts.

On Saturday, I was informed that the Provincial SAPS have received our request for assistance, and they would like to meet with the City so that we begin working on a coordinated and multi-disciplinary plan to arrest and prosecute syndicates that are sabotaging our efforts to build the economy and deliver services.

I am also encouraged by communities who have mobilized their own resources to guard vulnerable substations that have been targeted on several occasions; at the same time, I am concerned for their safety given the propensity of the criminals to take lives in their attacks on the City’s economic infrastructure.

The Acting City Power CEO, Ms Tshifularo Mashava, has nonetheless assured me that there is a good relationship between the entity and JMPD.

The need to guard our economic infrastructure has elevated the need for us to invest in the strategic use of technology in our crime busting efforts. I am aware that MMC David Tembe is an advocate of this, and has aligned the priority of building a safe and secure Joburg, with building a smart Johannesburg. 

We cannot combat crime and keep our roads safe by only relying on women and men in uniform, we must also embrace the use of technology.

I am confident that the City’s Public Safety and Transport officials will work around the clock to keep all elements of the City safe, without fear, favour, or prejudice.

Equally residents will drive responsibility; and when they do drink will not get behind the wheel or endanger themselves by walking the City’s busy streets.

In advance, I wish you all a blessed Easter. Keep safe on the roads, and practice responsible drinking. 

Ends