The City of Cape Town’s Social Development and Early Childhood Development is hitting the beach this summer in support of child safety.
The Department is spearheading the City’s Identikidz project, which has become an integral component of the overall festive season safety plan.
“The Identikidz programme has grown exponentially, as more people become aware of it, and the results are truly astounding,” said Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien.
“It provides peace of mind to parents on busy beach days, when children can so easily become lost in the crowd, but it also makes the task to reunite them far simpler.”
During the 2018/19 festive season, just more than 100 000 children were tagged - a 132% increase on the previous year.
A total of 535 children were reunited with their families.
TASK: Register each child. Picture: Supplied.
Badroodien says this year, the Identikidz project will be implemented at 15 beaches - Muizenberg, Fish Hoek, Strandfontein, Gordon’s Bay, Strand, Monwabisi, Harmony Park, Mnandi, Big Bay, Sea Point and surrounding area, Silwerstroom, Camps Bay, Lagoon Beach, Melkbosstrand, and Milnerton Beach.
It will run over 16 days: 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, 29 and 31 December 2019, and then 1, 2, 4, 5, 11 and 12 January 2020.
All children who arrive at the mentioned beaches on the specified dates will be registered and issued with an identification tag.
“Identikidz is a massive undertaking and our staff work closely with other agencies, like the City’s enforcement staff, SAPS, and even the provincial Department of Social Development. “We are doing everything possible to keep children safe,” adds Badroodien.