Mugging on Table Mountain
2005-11-20 14:39
Cape Town - Another person has been mugged in the Table Mountain National Park, park spokesperson Fiona Kalk said on Sunday.
She said three men armed with knives confronted a woman in the
Deer Park area above the Cape Town city bowl on Saturday afternoon and robbed her of her watch, a ring and some cash.
The woman had been swimming in a nearby weir and had just
started to pack up to leave when the incident took place.
Deer Park has been the scene of numerous muggings, and there
have recently also been a number of incidents in the Rhodes
Memorial area.
Kalk said park patrols - both hidden and visible - had been
increased in the Deer Park area.
"Patrols were also operational in Deer Park on the day of the
attack. This underscores the huge challenge the TMNP faces in
patrolling the entire urban edge of the [national] park and in
apprehending criminals who operate between the city and the park.
"Visitors to the park are requested to exercise the same precautions as they would when walking through a city.
"In the interests of personal safety, as well as following
general guidelines for mountain safety, it is advisable to stick
to well populated areas and not to walk alone."
From December 1, a total of 60 dedicated "visitor safety officers" and rangers would conduct roving patrols and hidden observations.
These would be complemented by more than that number of volunteers. Dog patrols were also on the cards.
"In the last year the TMNP has made 12 successful arrests as a
direct result of our visitor safety programme and will continue in
our efforts to ensure the safety of our visitors," said Kalk.
- SAPA