The Community Services and Health Directorate reflects on the weeks of high heat, which drew thousands of residents and visitors to the beaches and pools.

‘Following another successful roll-out of the Identikidz programme, this past weekend we tagged 11 670 children and reunited 10 children with their parents or caregivers. The number of children tagged for the entire programme is 109 902 and in total 354 were reunited with their families. The previous season’s operations were curtailed, because of a higher lockdown level, but figures prove not only that the Identikidz Project works, but also that it is much needed,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross.

The City’s popular Identikidz programme ensures children who arrive at the beach are registered and are issued with an armband with the contact details of their parent or caregiver, making it easier for them to be reunited should the child get lost.

The only children who could not be reunited with carers, were the six handed over to the provincial Department of Social Development on the first weekend of the new year.

‘The programme is not without its challenges. These six children were not tagged and the friends and family they had arrived at the beach with, could not be found. Many children come to the beach without adult supervision, while intoxicated parents refuse for children to be tagged. Their safety remains the primary responsibility of their parents or carers,’ said Councillor van der Ross.

The  busiest beaches for Identikidz over the festive season were Strandfontein, Harmony  Park, Monwabisi  and Strand.

RECREATION AND PARKS

To date, the City of Cape Town has recorded 25 non-fatal drownings and 13 fatal drownings since September 2021. These are in addition to the large number of help-outs and preventative actions taken by lifeguards throughout the season.

Most of the fatal drownings took place outside of designated bathing areas at unguarded beaches or beyond the hours when lifeguards were on duty.

‘The City’s Recreation and Parks Department runs an extensive drowning prevention programme which includes awareness, education and training. Over 550 Seasonal Lifeguards and 12 permanent Senior Lifeguards are stationed at municipal swimming pools and 29 different beaches and tidal pools in an effort to keep bathers safe and prevent drownings over the festive season,’ added Councillor van der Ross.

The City has strong working relationships with Lifesaving Cape Town, the 15 lifesaving clubs along the coast, NSRI’s drowning prevention and operations teams, and the eight NSRI base stations and three satellite stations along the coast. These relationships further strengthen efforts to prevent drownings.

‘I commend all our lifeguards and officials for remaining calm and dedicated during an extremely busy and hot festive season. More summer days are ahead and I want to encourage bathers and visitors to be responsible and stay safe,’ said Councillor van der Ross.

Visitors to the beaches are reminded to obey the four golden rules:

• Do not drink and swim
• Do not leave children unsupervised
• Be aware of rip currents
• Swim only between the red and yellow flags, where lifeguards are present

Source: City Of Cape Town