POLOKWANE – The South African Police Service, together with several other relevant departments, this week said that they would go to great lengths to ensure the safety and security of visitors and inhabitants of the Limpopo Province during the solar eclipse at Musina and surrounding areas on December 4.

Various activities are being planned throughout the whole province, with some activities already commencing at Musina on November 29, which also coincides with the closing of the schools in the province. The estimate is that between 20 000 and 30 000 people from all over South Africa and abroad will visit this region during the eclipse period.

The different role players whose mission it is to ensure a safe and secure environment, include the South African Police Service, Provincial Traffic Department, South African Airforce, South African Defence Force, different emergency services, relevant disaster management structures, as well as tourism operators. They will assist and support visibility patrols, air patrols, roadblocks, visible policing, crime prevention and crowd management.

It is expected that the traffic volume on the roads in the province will increase tremendously from this period and all relevant role players will be out in full force.

Visibility patrols as well as air traffic patrols will be effected during the period from November 29 and will continue until December 9. Several road blocks will also be held throughout the province and the co-operation of members of the public are requested in this regard. The aim is to provide effective control as well as the provision of emergency medical services on the main routes.

Other issues for which contingency plans were drawn up, include more people arriving than being catered for, unruly crowds at venues, people being hurt due to man-made or natural disasters, lost or abandoned children, people suffering from heat exhaustion and water shortage. Mobile Community Service Centres will also be placed at identified places throughout the province to assist with service delivery to all members of the public.