SANParks outlines safety measures at Table Mountain

File Picture: D Tromp

File Picture: D Tromp

Published Feb 23, 2018

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Cape Town - The South African National Parks (SANParks) on Friday expressed concern over the increase in attacks on Table Mountain in Cape Town.

"We are very concerned about the increase in attacks on the Mountain and it is indeed regrettable that there has been a life lost," Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) acting manager Gavin Bell said at a media briefing to outline the way forward in dealing with the safety and security challenges the park faces. 

"To this end SANParks has in the meantime increased its security efforts further to what is already outlined in the Safety and Security Park Management Plan for Table Mountain National Park, and have increased our ranger deployment and utilised our dog unit consisting of highly trained 12 dogs patrolling an open access urban park.” 

After several meetings with members of the safety and security cluster, as well as internal workshops, the current operational plan for safety and security was reviewed and upgraded in order to deal with the ongoing safety challenge that was besetting the park.

SANParks said that all parties, internally and externally, agreed that a unified approach was key to tackling the issue of increased crime on TMNP, and a joint operational approach with key law enforcement agencies would be ratified through a formal process at a national level.

In addition the organisation said they would ensure that all vacant ranger posts were filled to increase its capacity in terms of visible policing.

SANParks welcomed the arrest of the perpetrators responsible for the incident that took place on January 13, in the Silvermine section of the park.

"As SANParks we will continue to pursue the joint approach working closely with various law enforcement agencies, the City, government and community groups and is also investigating the viability of technological solutions given the vast terrain, the numerous access points into the park and the spillover into the park of urban crime."

African News Agency/ANA

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