Kwazulu-natal: Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli has called on citizens to act responsibly and remain vigilant during the upcoming festive season to ensure safety across the province. Premier Ntuli made the call during the launch of Safety Month and the Festive Season Safety Plan, outlining KwaZulu-Natal’s comprehensive strategy to protect lives, property, and livelihoods during the holiday period.
According to South African Government News Agency, Ntuli emphasized that the festive season represents both a time of joy and significant economic opportunity, with the province expecting to welcome over two million visitors and generate an estimated R13 billion in economic activity. The Premier highlighted the critical link between a thriving tourism-driven economy and the safety of communities, roads, and citizens, stating that prosperity and safety are inseparable.
The Premier reminded citizens that the festive period often brings increased risks of road crashes and crime, calling on all citizens to exercise responsibility and vigilance. As part of the integrated festive season safety operation, Ntuli announced the deployment of 24,515 law enforcement and emergency personnel across the province. This includes 17,528 SAPS members, 2,000 metro police officers, 693 Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) officers, 1,912 Emergency Medical Services (EMS) officials, 134 South African Revenue Service (SARS) customs officers, and 1,167 community safety volunteers.
Ntuli noted that the integrated approach brings together municipalities, community policing structures, private security, and emergency services in a unified campaign to keep the province safe. These teams will be strategically positioned at ports of entry, beaches, shopping centres, events, and major roads to ensure visibility, rapid response, and safety throughout KwaZulu-Natal.
While reaffirming Durban as the province’s flagship tourism destination, Ntuli highlighted plans to expand tourism beyond the coastline to secondary cities and emerging towns, including Richards Bay, Port Shepstone, Newcastle, and Howick. He emphasized that broadening the tourism map promotes inclusive economic participation, particularly among small enterprises, creative industries, and township economies.
Ntuli also made an appeal to men across KwaZulu-Natal to take an active role in ending gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), which often tend to escalate during the festive season. He called for the protection of the elderly and vulnerable, urging families and communities to make their homes sanctuaries of respect, compassion, and dignity.
The launch of Safety Month and the Festive Season Safety Plan reaffirmed the Provincial Government of Unity’s commitment to ensuring that KwaZulu-Natal remains a safe, welcoming, and prosperous destination for residents and visitors alike.