City urges learners to be public safety ambassadors

01 March 2017

 

Officials of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) and Johannesburg Water, as well as of the City’s Transport Department, visited Mxolisi Primary School in Jabulani, Soweto, to promote public safety among young learners during a Region D Public Safety Awareness campaign on Tuesday February 28.

 

According to Nomvula Dlame, a Senior Manager in the City of Johannesburg’s Citizen Relationship and Urban Management (CRUM) Department in Region D, the aim of the awareness campaign is to make children aware of their responsibilities when using roads, streets and water, and to give tips on how to render basic First Aid.

“The City of Johannesburg has an excellent safety strategy with a common approach to combating crime and grime; reducing road, fire and water fatalities; and improving general community safety. It also takes into account interventions by the Gauteng Provincial Department of Community Safety and the South African Police Service,” Dlame said.

JMPD’s Tshidiso Monareng told the children that they should always follow the instructions of their scholar patrollers.

“When you come to school in the morning always cross the road where the scholar patrols are. Do not cross anywhere you want. At the traffic lights, always wait for the green man before crossing. When you are travelling in a car and you are seated in front, always wear a seat belt. Tell your parents, your brothers and sisters, your family members, friends and neighbours to always buckle up,” Monareng said.

Johannesburg Water’s Polite Nkomo called on the learners to always preserve water.

“Don’t waste water. Don’t play with taps. Make sure that water taps are always shut. Water is a scarce resource in our country. And it is expensive to source water. So, always preserve and save water. Tell your parents and your brothers and sisters to use buckets when they wash their cars.

“The use of hosepipes is also not allowed. And tell them to water their gardens early in the morning or late in the early evening. Do not water the garden during sunny days. You’d be wasting water,” Nkomo said.

Dlame told the learners and educators to keep emergency numbers on them.

“Always have emergency numbers within easy reach. Your local police numbers, ambulance numbers, always keep them. You’ll never know when you’ll need them. To the educators, please help the children to memorise those numbers. They will need them in an emergency,” she said.

Nkomo warned the children to stay away from areas prone to flooding. “Floods are a no-go areas. People must not drive through a flooded road or bridge. Even if they can swim, raging floods are not a place for swimmers.”

He warned the learners not to play with fire. “Fire will eat you alive. Fire is dangerous. If you see fire, run away and inform your parents or any adult.”