As part of the festive season outreach campaign, on Wednesday evening, 23 December 2020, City of Johannesburg Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Economic Development, Cllr. Lawrence Khoza with the assistance of Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD), Acting Chief, Angie Mokasi conducted compliance checks and law enforcement operations at various identified hotspot areas in the Inner City and Soweto.
Johannesburg remains a major destination for tourists and given the contribution that tourism makes towards the City’s economy, it is important for the City of Johannesburg to continue to support tourism as a primary sector to ensure sustained growth beyond the festive season period.
“We believe that Johannesburg is a major destination for tourism, as such we want to be remembered as a city that created various opportunities within the sector and assisted businesses towards recovery from the hard lockdown and help to ensure their sustainability beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Tonight’s operations seeks to improve public safety by ensuring all attractions continue to maintain lockdown safety protocols, curb lawlessness and create a safer city that is desired by all residents, businesses and visitors. In addition, we are pleased with the levels of COVID-19 safety protocols at most establishments within the tourism sector.” said MMC for Economic Development, Cllr. Lawrence Khoza.
JMPD’s operations began in the Inner City at Maboneng to evaluate precautionary measures set in place to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 and concluded at Vilakazi Street in Soweto.
‘’In most establishments we visited at Maboneng in the Inner City and Vilakazi Street in Soweto, we found that people are indeed complying with the Disaster Management Act in terms of the wearing of masks, observing social distancing and the use of sanitisers at entry and exist points. However, in one establishment, we had to engage with management to make sure they understand the importance of complying to the current stringent Alert 1 regulations as we deal with the second wave of the pandemic. There will be repercussions to those who do not obey the rule of law” said JMPD Acting Chief, Angie Mokasi.
In terms of Johannesburg’s 2040 Growth and Development Strategy (GDS), tourism remains an economic growth imperative on the city’s agenda. It is for that reason that locals and tourist practice all safety protocols during the festive period as well as adhere to Covid-19 National Disaster Management Act.
ENDS.
For Media Enquiries.
Lydia Mathobela-Nhlapo
Media Liaison Specialist: Mayoral Communications
060 568 7522
LydiaNhlapo@Joburg.org.za
