Put safety first

The Monitor Editor | Tuesday June 27, 2023 06:00

The event has always been a favoured highlight and has managed to over the years attract multitudes including local and international spectators. Car racing enthusiasts never want to miss out on this event for anything and most start preparing for it very early in the year.

Most people find camping spots in Jwaneng and nearby farms. While the event is usually without incident, this time around the needle has moved. Perhaps it can even be said that the worst has happened. Many spectators lost their cars to a fire that was allegedly caused by a vendor who was selling food at designated parking for spectators. Unconfirmed reports put the number of cars affected in the inferno at over 40. This is perhaps the worst incident since the desert race’s inception.

There have been other painful incidents such as fatal car accidents, rape and murder cases, but the incident numbers have always been on the low side. Most people who usually attend this spectacle, purchase a lot of articles and spend all three days imbibing while watching and cheering their favourite racers who take to the wheel.

As expected, food vendors also attend the festivities associated with TGR 1000, with the hope of making a bit of money. But the questions that beg for answers are whether some of these designated parking areas for spectators are equipped with security personnel to protect spectators and their property or is it just one of those with a sign that management will not be responsible for loss of property and such? The event is huge and as such deserves proper planning for it to meet international standards.

Of course, it is understandable that some spectators will choose to set up their camps, but security at the designated areas should be beefed up! World-class events such as this one usually sell stalls to vendors, as one of the ways to ensure that there is a safe space reserved for vendors! By safe, we mean an area where vehicles will not in any way be close to the gas cylinders often used by food vendors to prepare their eateries.

It is common knowledge that as much as some people might set up camp at some farms, vendors can also pick a location where they feel there is a lot of traffic, and that is where security personnel will come in handy. This also calls to prevent unauthorised use of space, for example, space designated for parking. It is our responsibility as human beings to always put our safety first, but organisers also have a responsibility to ensure that those who attend their events will be safe along with their property!