OP-ED: Long Street is like party streets the world over – a magnet for petty thieves, hustlers, chancers and conmen

Recently, veteran journalist Raymond Joseph spent a night out with friends in Cape Town’s ode to a misspent youth, Long Street. The evening was marred when his group became the target of petty criminals who relieved them of a cellphone.about the experience and rightly shed light on the fact that Long Street and other areas of the CBD, especially those with abundant nightlife, feature some characters you just wouldn’t take home to your mother.

I believe, therefore, in the context of South Africa, that there exists a duty to call a spade a spade when things go wrong on Long Street. The area is full of bars, clubs, tourists and young revellers, many of whom have had far too much to drink. This kind of environment, unfortunately, is a boon for the hustler, chancer and conman anywhere in the world.

So, who is there, over and above SAPS, to watch over revellers and protect them from criminals working on Long Street and in the CBD? The CCID has a team of 300 public safety officers , 20 City of Cape Town Law Enforcement officers and six traffic officers deployed on a rotational shift basis. This equates to an average of 90 PSOs, five LEOs and five response vehicles deployed per shift throughout the CCID’s operational footprint in the CBD.

The CCID has strict protocols in place and we take complaints against our PSOs seriously. They do not operate with impunity. Complaints are investigated, and feedback is given. If a member of the public witnesses a CCID officer behaving inappropriately, they should record the date, time and nature of the incident, and the PSO’s bib number, and let me know. I will launch an official investigation.

Social issues also play a major role in the perception of areas not being safe. Aggressive begging, which has become a serious problem, adds to the fear of being attacked. This cannot be policed away and requires social intervention strategies by public and private agencies.

South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

STREET TALK : Gender: Women’s Rights (Video)As part of Street Talk's YOURIDENTITYCAMPAIGN, we unpack issues centred around gender roles and identity within relationships. “It's almost like men don't see us as human beings, there's plants, there's animals and then there is us.” – Zintle Hashe
Source: dailymaverick - 🏆 3. / 84 Read more »

Being weight-shamed from a young age has long-term consequencesAn American study has explored the link between the stigma regularly experienced by overweight individuals and the effects on their mental health, especially in terms of self-shaming.
Source: TimesLIVE - 🏆 28. / 59 Read more »

Sparks fly as electric pole shoots up in middle of a Mpumalanga streetThe Bushbuckridge local municipality has blamed traditional leaders for poor planning in the installation of an electric pole in the middle of a recently paved road. The municipality says the comical error was due to 'the failure to follow proper procedures when establishing new settlements to ensure streets, water, electricity, business sites and recreational facilities to be in line with the municipal Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Policy' led to the blunder which has now made loc...
Source: SowetanLIVE - 🏆 13. / 63 Read more »

Sudanese protester killed by notorious militia as street protests break out againThese demonstrations come as protest leaders and the ruling military junta work on a power-sharing agreement.
Source: TheCitizen_News - 🏆 6. / 75 Read more »

Police confirm ex-striker Mark Batchelor assassinatedBatchelor was apparently ambushed close to his house in Market Street, Olivedale.
Source: TheCitizen_News - 🏆 6. / 75 Read more »

Confirmed: South African music legend Johnny Clegg (66) diesAfter a long battle with pancreatic cancer the prolific musician has died.
Source: News24 - 🏆 4. / 80 Read more »