Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, published a statement saying efforts have been made to collaborate with all stakeholders to reduce attacks on the trails within Table Mountain National Park.
He said that reports of incidents have decreased since these collaborative efforts were initiated; however, despite these positive developments, challenges persist, particularly with nighttime hiking activities.
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Alderman Smith explained that the allure of a ‘moonlit hiking experience’ has drawn many tourists, leading to several incidents occurring under the cover of darkness.
Recognising the heightened risks, Smith said that policing authorities sought the assistance of SANParks in communicating these dangers to the hospitality and tourism sectors.
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SANParks responded by issuing an advisory notice, discouraging tourists from hiking activities after sunset.
Despite these efforts, enforcement staff reportedly frequently encountered tourists on the trails at night, often alone and sometimes comprising female hikers. This trend poses additional safety concerns, especially considering the history of attacks in the area.
‘While we continue in our collaboration efforts to bring those perpetrators to justice who have been responsible for the previous attacks, we cannot allow the safety of visitors to be compromised by the additional factors nightfall presents on the mountain,’ said Smith.
It was decided that the boom gates at trail entrances would be closed at 10pm, with trails being reopened each morning before sunrise and enforcement staff and SANParks Rangers patrolling the area.
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Picture: JP Smith / Facebook
