Safe play spaces is a shared responsibility

Francine Higham, mayoral committee member for community services and health

In response to  Cape Town vigil mourns children lost to unsafe play spaces (Atlantic Sun, Monday, December 1.

Thank you for raising the important issue of safe public spaces for children.

The loss of a child, whether to violence, neglect, unsafe environments, or preventable accidents, is heartbreaking.

We agree wholeheartedly that safe play spaces such as parks, recreation hubs, and community spaces are a critical part of public safety, dignity, health, and social cohesion.

Over the years, the City of Cape Town has continued to invest heavily in such spaces. In the community services and health directorate alone, we support: 3 800 developed parks citywide; 188 sports complexes, and 101 libraries offering structured after-school programmes and safe learning spaces.

In Mfuleni specifically, sustained investment has been made into the broader parks network, including the full redevelopment of Church Street Park in 2019, with further scheduled upgrades.

At Baba Park, the City invested R600 000 in the 2022/23 financial year for redevelopment, including a jungle gym, outdoor gym equipment, rubber matting, and a multi-purpose court.

This is in addition to regular cleaning, mowing, vegetation management, and repairs and maintenance.

However, vandalism, theft, and large-scale illegal dumping significantly undermined the investments, to the point where recreation and parks can no longer support routine clearing, requiring borrowed specialised machinery from other depots and departments such as Urban Waste Management.

We have already proposed a working group with the subcouncil and other City stakeholders, with the aim of including community leaders and residents in the near future, because safe spaces are most successful when there is genuine joint ownership.

The directorate welcomes collaboration with community organisations, including Movement for CARE, and is committed to continued engagement.

Finally every park, including those in lower-income communities, matters.

We reject the idea that dignity, safety or quality infrastructure should be tied to income or geography.

But infrastructure alone cannot guarantee safety; it requires shared ownership, responsibility, and shared protection.

Residents who witness dumping, vandalism, or damage to community assets are urged to report it immediately to Law Enforcement on 021 480 7700.

We remain committed to improving the safety, dignity, and accessibility of public spaces across our city.