Henri Du Plessis
20 August 2007
Cape Town — At least eight hikers were robbed at knife-point on Lion's Head yesterday, and the mugging epidemic has prompted Tourism MEC Lynne Brown to seek urgent talks with SANParks and the Community Safety Department.
The string of attacks yesterday were the latest in the spate of muggings on the mountain that has raised fears of damage to the tourism industry.
Brown said today: "We plan to meet with SANParks and the Department of Community Safety to look at potential solutions.
"We also want to get in touch with the Mountain Club of South Africa to hear their concerns and suggestions.
"As tourism minister of the province, I am concerned that one of our tourism icons is under threat not only for tourists but also for locals."
Brown added: "All who visit Table Mountain, whether local or foreign, should be able to do so unmolested."
Meanwhile hikers who contact Cape Town Tourism for information officials are being warned to stick to Platteklip Gorge and to sign in and out at the lower cableway station.
Table Mountain National Park spokesperson Phumeza Mgxashe confirmed today that eight people in several groups had been attacked and robbed on Lion's Head at about 5.45pm yesterday.
Police were investigating.
Mgxashe said park managers were attempting to secure the mountain under its R4 million visitor safety programme, which includes closed-circuit television cameras, 52 rangers and 250 volunteers patrolling at weekends.
Francie Bührmann of Oranjezicht said she had climbed to the top of Lion's Head with a friend yesterday.
When they were halfway down near a paragliding launch pad, they had been accosted by three men carrying knifes.
"I started screaming loudly, because I wanted to warn other groups and attract some attention, but the one guy just put his hand on my throat and his finger in front of my mouth, so I thought it was wise to stop," she said.
"When we got to the road after the incident, the police were there, talking to other people who had also been mugged.
"One of the men in a group said he ran off into the bushes and I think it was he who called the police, because the robbers took most of the other people's valuables, including cellphones and car keys.
A Canadian brother and sister who did not want to be named, were also among the victims.
"We've been here for a week and a day and we are due to go home again in a week's time," the sister said today.
"The three men accosted us, threw my brother to the ground and then just took everything we had, including my camera on which I had some lovely pictures of Cape Point," she said.
Buhrmann said it appeared the men had hidden in bushes and accosted hikers as they came by.
"The policemen we spoke to told us they believed the muggings were all done by the same three men," she said.
Graham Fehrs, 35, of Bellville, said three men had approached him with knives and robbed him of his camera and fleecy top.
Fehrs said he was a regular hiker and now "fears for his life".
"There is not enough security to protect us and we will have no option but to take the law into ourown hands," he said.
And a Cape Argus reader, Robert Esterhuyze, wrote a letter to the paper to report that he and a friend were mugged by a knife-carrying man on Lion's Head in the same area and at the same time of day on August 5.
Esterhuyze said the attacker had also mugged a Brazilian couple a short distance behind them.
Mgxashe said a local couple had been confronted during an attempted mugging on Signal Hill on Friday afternoon, but had not been robbed of anything.
A charge had been laid at the Cape Town central police station.
The mounting attacks have authorities scrambling to come up with a solution to ensure safety for walkers on the mountain.
The Cape Argus made an anonymous call to Cape Town Tourism this morning and was told that only Platteklip Gorge was recommended.
The tourism officer said her instructions were that other walks on Table Mountain were not safe.
J P Smith, mayoral committee member for safety and security, said today the number of city police was "substantially lower than it should be".
"We could have a large police presence on the mountain, but it will still be impossible to cover such a huge area,"he said.
The city's police forces had to deal with crime hotspots in the CBD.
But the safety of hikers was a "concern and a priority" and the city had contributed "hugely" (financially) in the past.
"This doesn't mean we won't pitch in and help SANParks in the future", he said.
Additional Reporting by Jade Witten, John Yeld, Murray Williams and Niemah Davids
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