The City of Ekurhuleni’s Disaster and Emergency Management Services (DEMS), in collaboration with the Gauteng Provincial Disaster Management Centre, held a successful summer awareness campaign at the Kempton Park Taxi Rank and surrounding areas on October 25.

“Officials gathered at the Kempton Park Fire Station for a morning briefing before proceeding to the taxi rank on Old Pretoria Road.

“Due to limited parking in the area, most official vehicles were left at the fire station,” said DEMS spokesperson William Ntaldi.

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The purpose of the campaign was to build community resilience and raise awareness about potential life-threatening emergencies and seasonal disasters that may occur during the summer months.

According to Ntladi the summer season often brings challenges such as heatwaves, drought, veld fires, floods, thunderstorms, and drowning incidents.

“To address these risks, officials engaged directly with taxi commuters and shoppers, providing safety tips and information on how to respond to emergencies,” he said.

The campaign ran from 08:00 to 12:00 and forms part of the City’s proactive drive to ensure that residents are better prepared for weather-related disasters and emergencies.