DON'T BE A STATISTIC

Public warned to be op hul pos during festive period

- BY MARSHA DEAN

FUN: Siphe Bawuti enjoying himself in Khayelitsha pool

THE silly season is upon us and tis the time to be jolly, however it is also that time of the year when people tragically lose their lives. Whether it be drownings at beaches or swimming pools, kinders being reported missing, road accidents - especially driving under the influence; the public is urged to remain cautious and not become a statistic this festive season.

A total of 660 509 patrons visited the City's swimming pools between October 2024 and 10 April 2025. Notably, over 389 000 of these visitors were children aged three to 16 years.

A total of 49 near drownings were recorded. These were serious incidents that could have resulted in fatalities were it not for swift actions

Recorded

Regrettably, 14 drownings occurred along the coastline, of which 12 victims were male and four were under the age of 18. It was also recorded that in 2024, five people drowned during the off-season.

As part of its drowning prevention campaign, the City is deploying 340 beach lifeguards and 343 swimming pool lifeguards.

Lifeguards will be on duty at 29 different beaches, tidal pools, stretches of coast, and all public swimming pools between 10am and 6pm daily.

The Western Cape Mobility Department has issued a stern warning to motorists following an alarming 24 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol recorded in just one week.

Between 17-23 November 2025, the Provincial Traffic Services conducted 168 integrated roadblocks, vehicle checks and speed control operations across the province.