The City’s Tourism Safety Ambassadors were awarded certificates of commendation for their contribution to keeping visitors safe in and around the CBD.
The City’s Mayoral committee member for economic opportunities and asset management, James Vos, together with Mayor Dan Plato, Cape Town Tourism CEO, Enver Duminy, and Councillor Anda Ntsondo met with the ambassadors at the Cape Town Tourism offices on Monday February 4.
The ambassadors work closely with their partners in crime prevention such as the Bo-Kaap neighbourhood watch, the Central City Improvement District (CCID) and the South African Police Service (SAPS). The Bo-Kaap neighbourhood watch keeps a sharp eye on the area via their CCTV camera network and informs the ambassadors about potential safety risks.
Mr Vos commended the ambassadors for their dedication and hard work on the ground by helping the city’s visitors enjoy a world-class experience.
“I tip my hat to this group of young people who are going about their task without fear. They are disrupting the tourism hotspots where criminals were becoming a nuisance by preying on unsuspecting locals and visitors to the city,” he said.
Mr Plato said tourism is needed in the Western Cape as it contributes to the economic growth in the province. “We’re not like Johannesburg, which is the economic hub of the country, we don’t have mines here, but we have tourism and we need to ensure that the visitors keep coming back to our city. This is another great example of tourism and job creation coming together,” he said.
One of the ambassadors is Bo-Kaap resident, Mohammed Samuels.
He said this was his first certificate and he was grateful that his work is being recognised. “We guide the tourists out of danger, give them safety tips and it’s not easy as sometimes we get threatened. I’m happy that our work is being recognised,” he said.
Munifa Canterbury, from Bo-Kaap, is a black belt martial arts instructor and competitor. She said making a difference in her community has always been a passion.
She said being a tourism safety officer has given her the platform to put some of her skills into action while earning an income that has in turn benefited her household.