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Safety to be stepped up in Cape Town CBD

A revised security plan for the central city of Cape Town will see a further R1,2 million (a 20% increase) allocated to security by the Central City Improvement District. This takes CID-funded safety in the CBD to R7,6 million per annum.

In addition, to keep pace with an almost unprecedented increase in restaurant, club and bar frequency in the city centre at night and on weekends, security personnel will be more than doubled at these times.

Cape Town Partnership CEO, Michael Farr, said that the Cape Town Central CID board had approved a further financial allocation to security which would result, amongst other improvements, in a 10% increase in the total number of personnel. The number of security vehicles dedicated to the CBD would increase from two to five, thanks to the private sector's contribution to the success of the capital city as the safest and cleanest in Africa. Hertz, Auto Porters and Securicor Gray were the contributors to the mobile units within CID security. The five cars means that each precinct in the CBD - from the Foreshore to the Company's Garden, would have its own vehicle for round-the-clock surveillance and response, with one roving/back-up vehicle.

More good news for office workers, locals and tourists, is the introduction, with the full co-operation of SAPS, of a 24-hour operations and control centre at Caledon Square, which will house a dedicated emergency line for CBD ratepayers. Said Farr: "we have shown that when the public, ratepayers, the city council and agencies of the state co-operate, much more is possible.

There is no reason why Cape Town central city's growing reputation as one of the safest inner cities anywhere cannot continue to improve. Although crime has dropped sharply since the implementation of the CID in November 2000 and with the co-operation of SAPS, and while the nature of crime is now classified as over 90% 'petty', there is always room for improvement.

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