Christina Taylor And Aziz Hartley
31 December 2008
The weather service says Capetonians can expect a warm New Year's Eve, with the temperature peaking at 27°C while law enforcement agencies say they will be on full alert to ensure festivities around the city are incident-free.
The minstrel organisers, meanwhile, are making final arrangements for parades through the city.
Police operations would be intensified around public places, spokesperson Billy Jones said.
"We will continue with increased visible policing, random searches, roadblocks, stop-and-search operations and other crime combating operations throughout the province."
The City of Cape Town's law enforcement chief, Richard Bosman, said beach patrols would be stepped up, with a 24-hour watch on Thursday and continuing until Sunday.
For those seeking altitude for their New Year's celebrations, Tafelberg Road and Signal Hill are to remain open, but Patty Gordon, area manager of Table Mountain north, says vehicle access is to be limited to prevent excessive traffic.
City traffic spokesperson Merle Lourens said "an influx of people" into the city and the V&A Waterfront was expected on Wednesday night. Traffic officers would be out in force at street parties and there would be road closures.
About 72 choirs and bands affiliated to the Cape Malay Choir Board take to the streets at 11 tonight.
They are to march along a route taking them from Keizergracht in District Six to Rose Street in the Bo-Kaap.
Most of about 66 minstrel troupes are expected to march on Saturday, despite confusion on Tuesday about whether the parade should go ahead.
Some organisers have threatened to boycott the parade because of a dispute with the council over resources. Others believed the parade was too strong a Cape Town tradition for it to be boycotted.
The parade is to take place from 10am to 9pm on Saturday and follow the same route as the Malay choirs.
Police, traffic and disaster management services would be deployed and security, medical and cleansing services would be in place, the City of Cape Town said. No parking or informal trading would be allowed along the route. The city warned against the setting off illegal fireworks. Only two organised fireworks displays have been approved for tonight: at the Breakwater at the V&A Waterfront and on the Leeukoppie Estate in Hout Bay.
Police will be patrolling neighbourhoods and confiscating fireworks. Violators of the fireworks ban could face fines up to R1 000 and as much as 12 months in jail, said Cape Town's Disaster Risk Management Centre spokesperson, Wilfred Solomons-Johannes.
The SPCA appealed to families to keep pets indoors after dark tonight and to close windows and curtains to muffle the sound of exploding fireworks.
Illegal fireworks may be reported to the Metro Police Control Centre on 0860 765 423.
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