Johannesburg - The City was out in force at Cresta Mall, offering advice on dealing with floods and fireworks, staying visible as pedestrians, and avoiding veld fires. Top tip: Don't drink and drive.
Proper use of fireworks and safety on the roads were among top tips that patrons at Cresta Mall learned this week as part of the Safety Mall Campaign, reports Joburg.org.
The multi-disciplinary campaign is a partnership between the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) as well as Emergency Management Services (EMS).
Customers learned about the City's by-laws as well as ways to be safe this festive season - a time when crime escalates and tragedies occur.
Pamphlets bearing various safety tips ways to deal with floods and veld fires were on display on the stalls and people who approached the exhibits received additional tips verbally.
As the New Year is approaching, patrons were urged to use fireworks properly and responsibly because they can harm both people and animals.
The JMPD encouraged pedestrians to wear colourful clothes to increase their visibility on the roads. They were also encouraged by the EMS to be careful when they braai and make sure the fire is extinguished at the end of the braai to avoid veld fires.
The City's member of the mayoral committee for public safety, Matshidiso Mfikoe, was also at the mall.
Explaining the aim of the campaign, Mfikoe said they wanted to talk to communities and share with them safety tips. "During the festive season we experience high levels of accidents and drowning so we thought coming to the malls was a good idea at it is where we can reach a lot of people," she said.
Mfikoe described the campaign as a good outreach as it talks to communities where they stay. She said the campaign also helps Joburgers to voice whatever complaints or compliments they have about the City.
At these stands they bring a number of queries that are sometimes not related to the campaign, like billing and garbage collecting. So this campaign is not around safety only - it also touches some other issues related to the City," she said.
Passing on her festive message, Mfikoe said people must take care, avoid drinking and driving and be extra cautious during braais to avoid unnecessary fires. And "as parents we need to know where our kids are at all times during this busy season", she added.
According to Thembelihle Radebe, the City's communication specialist, the objectives of the campaign are to create a platform whereby the City engages and interacts with its customers informally and to impart critical information on safety, water safety, law enforcement and policing.
"This will assist in influencing a change in behaviour and adhering to the City's by-laws during the festive season," she said.
Besides safety, residents were also able to ask about the payment of traffic fines, and drivers' licence and licence disc renewals. For these kinds of services, contact the JMPD on 086 123 1123.
