All forces of Public Safety in the City of Johannesburg came together on Thursday, 28 March 2024, to commemorate Public Safety Day 2024. The day was celebrated at the opening of the Rand Show at the Johannesburg Expo Centre (Nasrec). The focus of this year’s Public Safety Day is on encouraging and improving public participation and educating residents on the units and entities within Public Safety. Public Safety consist of the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), Emergency Management Services (EMS), Disaster Management and Licensing. Delegates and employees of the City’s Public Safety Department commemorated the day through an opening event at the centre of all activities on a green lawn.

Cllr Mgcini Tshwaku, the Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) of Public Safety, said Public Safety Day was about recognising the hard work officials and officers are doing.

He said that as MMC of Public Safety, it was his portfolio’s responsibility to ensure residents lived in a safe environment. 

He added that strides have been made on increasing the number of JMPD officers on the street and the next focus should be on filling all vacant positions in Public Safety.

The Executive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg, Cllr Kabelo Gwamanda, said from the Integrated Development Planning (IDP) sessions the City has been holding recently, it is evident that residents were feeling unsafe.

He commended Dr Tshwaku for his efforts in ensuring a safer Johannesburg for all.

“To realise a world-class African city, we need to ensure residents are safe. I am confident that this administration will turn the statistics around,” says Cllr Gwamanda.

The event concluded with a parade by Public Safety officers and JMPD and EMS motorcade. The motorcade included the freeway unit, accident unit, tactical response and JMPD operations.

Written by Brümilda Swartbooi

02/04/2024

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