FoTM concerned at high number of muggings at Table Mountain National Parks

Non-Profit Organisation, Friends of Table Mountain (FoTM), has called on the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) to use the income that the park generates to secure this national treasure. This is because the organisation has noted a high number of muggings and attacks at the park in the last 2 years.

According to the organisation, muggings and attacks on Table Mountain National Park are down from the high crime rate recorded in 2023, which was the highest ever recorded. However, with 60 reported incidents last year, FoTM says the numbers are still unacceptable.

“We are relieved to see that we have not had a repeat of 2023’s notoriously high festive season crime spree on TMNP. We believe this can be attributed to three things. The arrest of a repeat mugger on Lion’s Head and the demise of one of two repeat muggers above Camps Bay, in 2023.” said Andy Davies, Chairperson of FoTM

Davies added that the significant increase in resources provided by the City of Cape Town and the improved collaboration between various law enforcement agencies and the public also added to the drop in crime-related incidents.

“The CoCT has deployed resources to various hotspots on TMNP from 4 am till 8 pm over two shifts. We understand that approximately 43 metro, law enforcement and traffic officers are deployed to TMNP at any one time.”

In a statement, Davies added that rangers and volunteers are also working hard to fight the crime and are seeing some success. However, the number of incidents last year are far too high for such an important national park and critical tourist attraction.

Additionally, the organisation has called on Dr Dion George, Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, as well as SANParks to assign a far higher budget from the TMNP income to ensure the many problems plaguing the park are resolved.

Davies adds that attacks are not the only crime showing an alarming upward trend on the mountain.

“We have noticed a marked increase in reports of groups of people illegally camping overnight on the mountain, sometimes for days at a time, and lighting fires. Camps are regularly found with smouldering embers which can easily be relit by the wind and strewn with litter,”