The City of Tshwane Health Department is pleased to share that it has fulfilled its commitment to provide first-aid and security awareness training to 100 drug and substance abuse marshals from Sector 1, 2 and 3 of Region 1 in the Akasia area.
The training was first rolled out in December 2022 where the first group of 25 marshals were trained. On 21 January 2023, as part of our commitment to train the remaining group, 75 volunteers received their training.
Drug and substance abuse marshals play an important role in the community through regular patrols in drug-afflicted hotspot areas. They consist of community members who volunteer their services to counter high crime rates in the Akasia suburb to make their space safe.
This training is critical for this line of work the marshals engage in and covers basic first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), situational awareness, crime scene management, self-defence, firefighting and the importance of planning. Trainees were also trained on the importance of HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.
During this training, I was once again supported by members of the City of Tshwane Community Safety Cluster and volunteers who offered their time, knowledge and skills. This time around, we were also joined by members of the City of Tshwane Health Department HIV/AIDS Unit.
The latest intervention would not have been possible without the continued support of the private sector. Once again, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dave Miles and his team from PPC Limited who donated torches, reflector jackets, pepper spray and first-aid kits. Having acquired new skills, the marshals can now do their jobs better equipped and support law enforcement and private security companies by maintaining visibility.
The City understands that public-private partnerships are important for the benefit of our communities. It is through initiatives such as this that we can demonstrate that the City is a caring and responsive municipality.