The City of Cape Town’s Recreation and Parks Department hosted a ‘Safe Play’ Festival to mark Human Rights Day, where children could play in a safe environment while learning new skills. The event was also a showcase  of some of the department’s programmes.

The City’s Recreation and Parks Department arranged for a day of fun, sports and games for 200 children under the age of 12 at the Weltevreden Recreational  Hub.

Most of the participants reside in Samora Machel and surrounding informal settlements, and are no strangers to the recreation hub for after school programmes.

The Safe Play festival offered various fun and exciting activities like sack races ,egg and spoon races and City Library staff were also on hand for storytelling time.

The event was also an opportunity to celebrate the recent completion of upgrades at the nearby park, made possible through ward allocation funding to the value of R150 000.

‘That this event was hosted on Human Rights Day is no coincidence. While it is a day of fun and excitement, it was also a deliberate effort by our Recreation and Parks Department to underpin the importance of safe spaces where children can play, engage with their peers and just have fun, without having to look over their shoulder. I want to encourage communities to work with us to create more safe spaces for children, even if it is a rotational supervision system among elders who can keep an eye on the young ones while they enjoy the parks and other facilities that the City has invested in their local community.

‘Life is slowly starting to return to normal as we learn to live with Covid-19, which means more visitors to our parks and other public open spaces, more and more sporting codes returning to the fields, and of course our recreational hubs being available after school, but also during the school holidays. I ask that parents engage their local City representatives to find out which programmes are available in their area, especially with the school holidays around the corner. We would much prefer to have your children in our supervised spaces, engaging in constructive play and activities. More than that, it is a fun way to learn and meet new friends,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross.

Source: City Of Cape Town