Cape Town, South Africa: The child safety project ‘IdentiKidz’ records a successful start of the great cause by saving more than 21,000 children in the first weekend. The project tagged 21,864 children at fifteen beaches and reunited thirty-eight kids with their families.
At the end of the beach day, one child was handed over to the Provincial Department of Social Development and was reunited with the parents in Lwandle. The project involves tagging children, likely with some form of identification or tracking method, to ensure their safety.
Reportedly, Muizenberg tagged 3,264 children, followed by Strandfontein, which tagged 3,092 kids and Strand, which tagged 2,473 children.
Comparatively, 19,110 children were tagged in the first weekend, last year. Nine kids reunited with their parents. This year, the project saw an increase of 14.4%.
As per the sources, the Child Safety Project will be observed for the following days:
• From 23 to 26 December 2023
• On 30 & 31 December 2023
• On 01 January 2024
• On 06 & 07 January 2024
• On 13 & 14 January 2024
• On 20 & 21 January 2024
Additionally, IdentiKidz will also be available at Maiden Cove on December 26, 2023 and January 01, 2024.
The Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Services and Health – Councillor Patricia Van der Ross, marked his statement, “I am really happy with the solid start to the programme. This past long weekend was an incredibly busy one on the City’s beaches and we are expecting even bigger crowds over the coming weeks.”
She asked the interested visitors to register at the participating beaches and get their children tagged. “It is safe, brings peace of mind and makes it so much easier to link children with their families,” added the Councillor.
Notably, the beaches which are participating in the IndentiKidz are:
• Big Bay
• Camps Bay
• Fish Hoek
• Gordon’s Bay
• Harmony Park
• Lagoon Beach
• Melkbosstrand
• Milnerton Beach
• Mnandi
• Monwabisi
• Muizenberg
• Silwerstroom
• Strand
• Strandfontein
• Sea Point and its surrounding area
IdentiKidz is a safety project for children which ensures the safety of young beachgoers at popular beaches across Cape Town.
The Social Development and Early Childhood Development Department (SDECD) supports the programme. Teams of SDECD staff and EPWP (Expanded Public Works Programme) workers are assigned to various ‘hot spots’ to register children and issue identification armbands.