Save Table Mountain Coalition expresses safety concerns for hikers and visitors

Worrying crime statistics over the past 15 years are raising alarms for hikers and visitors to Cape Town’s iconic Table Mountain, with violent attacks and robberies on the rise.

The Save Table Mountain coalition says the numbers confirm what regular users have been warning for years: that many people no longer feel safe on the mountain, and the situation is getting worse.

The latest figures raise fresh concerns about public safety on one of South Africa’s most visited landmarks.

"If somebody gets mugged on Signal Hill, they will report that crime to Sea Point; if someone gets mugged in Newlands Forest, they will report to Rondebosch," says Andy Davies, Chairperson of Friends of Table Mountain, explaining where the figures come from.

He explains that Friends of Table Mountain then collates those crime stats for the whole of Table Mountain National Park (TMNP)

Davies suggests it could be severalfactors behind the increase in crime on the mountain.

"There are more tourists on the mountain, who are always easy targets."

Some of the issues also relate to SANParks resources, he says.

The number of Visitor Safety Rangers has dropped in recent years, and the K9 patrol unit has reportedly shrunk.

"In 2021, the SANParks website said they had 52 visitor safety rangers and 16 dog handlers, and at the moment we know that they've got 40 seen team members and two dogs," says Davies.

According to the organisation, crime has continued to increase across well-known areas, including Lion’s Head, Signal Hill, and several trails across the Cape Peninsula.

According to Davies, the situation is now so bad that some hikers and trail runners actively avoid certain routes.

"One of the issues we have is that Table Mountain National Park is an incredibly profitable national park, and we know SANParks themselves have a massive cash surplus in their bank accounts."

He says it's frustrating that more of that profit is not being used to safeguard users of Table Mountain National Park.

The organisation officially raised their concerns with the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, demanding transparent planning, increased budgets, and quarterly progress reports.

To listen to Davies in conversation with CapeTalk's John Maytham, click below.