The Western Cape might not have seen any public violence linked to looting but its government says it has a plan in place should looting action erupt in the province. This comes after many parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng were demolished by looters.
As part of the province’s safety plan, the Minister of Community Safety in the Western Cape, Albert Fritz, joined several neighbourhood watch groups in Mitchells Plain on Wednesday, July 14.
Thank you to Minister @AlbertFritz_ for meeting with our neighbourhood watch teams. It is wonderful to see our residents uniting to ensure that we maintain law and order in the Western Cape. Let’s continue to stay safe.
?: @ricardomackenzi pic.twitter.com/8sXyaRC6ze
— Premier Alan Winde (@alanwinde) July 14, 2021
The purpose of Fritz’s visit was to encourage all neighbourhood watches to join in the efforts to maintain law and order in the province. According to Fritz, neighbourhood watches are the eyes and ears of the SAPS and other law enforcement agencies as they have been committed to assisting authorities.
“Last night we saw a neighbourhood watch stop an isolated, attempted looting of a mall by a small group, so neighbourhood watches have an incredibly important role to play,” Fritz said.
Fritz added that public violence disadvantages everybody, especially the people living in the community. ” If you burn down the clinic in your area, it means you have to travel far when you are in need of medical assistance. It is your community – your actions will have consequences for your own life. If you loot and burn down a shop, you are destroying the jobs and livelihoods which that business generates for your own community members,” Fritz was quoted saying.
Meanwhile, all law enforcement agencies have rallied together in the Western Cape to ensure that communities and businesses that are vulnerable are protected.
?MEDIA RELEASE | We are prepared & are working with SAPS & other security services to do everything we can to prevent any potential public unrest that will result in looting & damage to businesses and public property in the Western Cape.
Read statement?https://t.co/utMuoJ9405 pic.twitter.com/wdCZAVTPjf
— David Maynier (@DavidMaynier) July 14, 2021
Members of the public are also urged – in the event of an emergency to contact the emergency services immediately. The easiest number to remember is 112. This is a toll-free number and can be dialled from any cell phone.
Additional regional numbers for reporting emergencies in the Western Cape:
• City of Cape Town – 107 or 021 480 7700 and 080 911 4357
• Overberg – 028 425 1690
• West Coast – 022 433 8700
• Garden Route – 044 805 5071
• Central Karoo – 023 449 8000
• Cape Winelands – 021 886 9244 / 021 887 4446
READ ALSO:
Picture: Twitter/ Alan Winde