Question NW211 to the Minister of Environmental Affairs
05 March 2018 - NW211
Carter, Ms D to ask the Minister of Environmental Affairs
In view of increasing incidents (details furnished) of violent and in some instances murderous attacks on visitors, who do hiking trails in particular, in the Table Mountain National Park, (a) what number of incidents, including the severity thereof in each case, have been recorded (i) in (aa) 2013, (bb) 2014, (cc) 2015, (dd) 2016 and (ee) 2017 and (ii) since 1 January 2018 and (b) what action has she taken or intends to take to put an end to these incidents?
Reply:
(a) The incidents recorded in Table Mountain National Park are mainly robberies and are as follows:
(i) (aa) 2013 (there were 11);
(bb) 2014 (there were 16);
(cc) 2015 (there were 19);
(dd) 2016 (there were 11); and
(ee) 2017 (there were 22)
(ii) There have been six and one fatal incident since 01 January 2018
(b) The following actions were taken .
Additional resources were deployed to the affected areas.
Various operational plans are being reviewed and considered, including:
- Joint operations with South African Police Services (SAPS);
- surveillance observation points to monitor the mountain;
- increased patrols in the area; and
- deployment of a South African National Parks dog unit.
Also media relations interventions are ongoing.
Strategic focus areas were identified for investigation, including:
-
- Planning and implementation of operations;
- permeability of the urban edge;
- establishment of a Joint Operations Centre;
- establishment of a rapid response team;
- technology options;
- ranger capablity to meet ever changing challenges; and
- proactive communications.
The South African National Parks held a Chief Executive Office (CEO) Security Cluster Meeting that was attended by:
- CEO: SANParks and the Park representatives;
- representative of the Provincial Police Commissioner of the Western Cape;
- representative of the SAPS Cluster;
- Head of Department for Community Safety representing the Member of Executive Council;
- Wilderness Search and Rescue;
- South African Navy; and
- the City of Cape Town did not send a representative.
The South African National Parks (SANParks) and SAPS continue to work together to implement operational plans and joint patrols in order to keep crime to a minimum and also to address safety concerns across the Park. On 13 February 2018, two suspects were arrested and charged with robbery in the Kalk Bay mountain hiking trail area. They appeared in the Muizenberg Magistrate’s Court and are still in custody.
---ooOoo---