Originally published on 26 August 2024
Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ) made parks safer for women and girls. Find out how their new Environmental Enforcement Unit made parks safer across the city.
What was the problem?
Even though parks were made for relaxation and fun times, women often felt unsafe, especially when they were alone in the park. Research showed that women were more likely than men to feel unsafe in parks, especially after dark. This worry stopped women from fully enjoying these public spaces.
How did they solve it?
To fix these safety worries, JCPZ started the Environmental Enforcement Unit (EEU), which is a team of trained field rangers. These are people who know how to patrol parks to make them safe. This unit is made up of 37 rangers and 15 volunteers from the South African Biodiversity Institute who worked closely with local police to keep parks safe. The EEU was there to enforce park rules and make parks safe for everyone. JCPZ encouraged women to visit parks with friends and family, saying parks should be for everyone.
Read more
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JCPZ addressed community concerns over tree safety. Read more here
Acknowledgements:
Original article written by: Waydon Jacobs
Photograph supplied by: Johannesburg City Parks and Zoos Environmental Enforcement Unit
Get your community involved
Is there a community-driven group or caring business in your area? A dedicated group of committed people can effectively solve local problems.
Think about starting or joining community groups like a street WhatsApp group, residents' association, or community policing forum (CPF) to get help and to stay informed and involved in local issues.
Know your rights – how local government works
It’s important to understand how your local government works so that you can work with them to support what they are doing while your community continues to keep them accountable and deliver services on time. Remember you have a constitutional right to many of the services provided by local government, as well as to accountability and transparency, wherever you live and regardless of how much you earn. It is also where money collected from taxes and rates goes.
Tshwane
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