Identikidz save the day

Scores of tagged children lost, found and reunited with families

THE CITY’S Identikidz project has been hard at work trying to ensure that young beach visitors remain safe while having fun in the sun and surf this festive season.

The project registers and issues young visitors with identification armbands to make it easy for lost children to be quickly reunited with their parents or carers.

Mayco member for community services and health Zahid Badrodien explained that over the weekend of December 14-17, the project had tagged nearly 18 000 children at 14 City beaches.

He said that out of those children who were tagged, 47 had been lost during that long weekend and subsequently returned to their carers.

“I want to encourage families to register their children at the participating beaches as soon as they arrive. It takes a few minutes and could potentially save all involved a lot of anxiety and stress later.

“Identikidz helps to ensure that a trip to the beach leaves you only with happy memories and sand between your toes,” Badrodien said.

“Teams are deployed at 14 of our beaches and children are registered and issued with an armband bearing the contact details of their parent or caregiver.”

Some of the beaches which registered the most children with tags over the long weekend include Monwabisi (with 2 572), Strand (2 440) and Mnandi (1881), he said.

“In the event that a child’s family is not tracked down by the end of the day, the child will be handed over to the Western Cape Department of Social Development.

“The armband helps City staff or the police to reunite the child with their family,” added Badrodien.

The City’s beaches were popular recreation spots during the festive season and the Identikidz project ensured the safety of young children who might get lost, disorientated in the crowds, or wander away from their parents or caregivers, he said.

During the previous festive season, more than 43 281 children had been tagged and 471 displaced children reunited with their parents after they were separated, he added.

The project is an initiative of the City’s Social Development and Early Childhood Development Department and Disaster Risk Management Centre.

ARMAND HOUGH African News Agency (ANA) MAJOR-GENERAL Jeremy Veary, right, and other police officials inspect a Clifton beach after reports that a private security company has been strong-arming beachgoers to leave by 8pm over the festive season. While the City said the security company did not operate with its permission, a protest move to ‘occupy’ the beach has been initiated. |