‘I would like to wish our community a safe and happy festive season’ – Michael Sun

MMC for Public Safety, councillor Michael Sun writes:



I would like to wish our community a safe and happy festive season. I hope that we can all be proactive and get involved in initiatives that will make your communities a better place, take care of each other and ourselves by always ensuring you follow safety measures.

The Department of Public Safety is one of the biggest departments in the City of Johannesburg and comprises four department/directorates.

The first is the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) with its core functions being traffic management, by-law enforcement and crime prevention.

The second is Emergency Management Services (EMS), which is responsible for fire and emergency medical rescue. The other components of EMS include fire safety, EMS Academy and Public Interaction Education and Relations (PIER).

The third is Disaster Management, which is responsible for proactive action in the identification of risk factors facing the City and propose mitigation measures.

Inclusive of these proactive measures include evacuation drills with building owners: Notable large buildings include financial institutions and student residences. Disaster Management plays a vital role in assisting residents with emergency relief such as facilitating emergency shelters, food, blankets and other emergency relief materials.

The fourth is driver’s licensing. The City renders the licensing function as an agent of the Provincial and National Department of Transport and the Road Traffic Management Corporation.

The City currently operates some its own Drivers Licensing and Testing Centres (DLTCs) and Motor Vehicle Registering Authorities (MVRAs) where vehicle testing and registration, learners and drivers licensing testing are done.

Highlights this year include the launch of Operation Buya Mthetho, which has resulted in more visible policing and has increased revenue to the City. We also took in 171 traffic wardens whose main function will be by-law enforcement and traffic management.

We also opened the Veritas School as a JMPD Academy, which will work for in-service training.

Another success is the refurbishment of two fire engines and the delivery of five brand new fire engines, the opening of a brand new fire station in Cosmo City, and the intake of 91 newly trained firefighters.

We also officially launched the newly revamped Marlboro Testing Centre.

Sadly, this year we lost six JMPD officers and three brave firefighters in the line of duty. I would like to give thanks and highlight the works of all of the brave men and women of public safety who serve the residents of the City of Johannesburg with pride.

In 2019, we aim to actively counter bogus colleges, welcome 1 500 newly trained JMPD officers to the force, break ground at the site where the new Johannesburg Central Fire Station will be built, and focus on student safety through launching campaigns along with the various learning institutions.

We would also like to gain the approval of externally funded law enforcement offices, gain approval of public safety CCTV policy, revamp the Roodepoort Licencing Centre, and gain delivery of additional fire engines.