By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
SA National Parks (SANParks) says there will be increased visibility of security on the ground, in the sea and air to bolster the safety of visitors to Table Mountain National Park (TMNP).
The conservation authority on Wednesday unveiled its festive season safety and security plans featuring increased collaboration with police and the City of Cape Town in the resuscitation of the TMNP safety and security forum.
This follows a spate of robberies on tourists visiting the national park.
SANParks says it is working with the police and the City of Cape Town to ensure visitors’ safety, while the Department of Tourism has also deployed some 70 ‘tourism monitors’ to help keep everyone safe.
Spokesperson Rey Thakhuli says they have deployed a tactical response team, and a SANParks helicopter to assist with daily aerial observations.
“In addition, SANParks has 112 rangers in its employ in TMNP of which 15 of are members of the special operations rangers division otherwise known as the Sea, Air and Mountain team (SEAM).
“These are highly skilled rangers with a K9 unit of six fully trained dogs and a specialised operations centre which supports the area integrity management of TMNP.
“Deployments will also include vessel patrols in the Marine Protected Areas. In addition, 580 persons in contracted crews for fire management are on standby at Newlands and Kloofnek fire bases to tackle any fire on the mountain and its surroundings.”
The TMNP is an open-access park with several free access points, making it easy for criminals to enter and exit.
Meanwhile the Department of Tourism has spent R174.5 million in deploying 2,305 Tourism Monitors at key tourist attractions across South Africa to “supplement safety and security measures by the South African Police Service” (SAPS) ahead of the peak summer holiday period.
These monitors will be stationed at key entry points, national parks, and other tourist attractions throughout the country to provide assistance with tourism and “safety-related” matters, enhancing tourism safety awareness, upskilling unemployed youth and reducing tourist vulnerabilities.
The duties of these monitors include:
- Patrolling identified attractions and sites/areas,
- Raise tourism awareness and provide information to tourists about attractions and the country,
- Report any crime incidents to SAPS and other relevant enforcement agencies,
- Assist in tourist victim support.
The Department has been working with the SAPS through joint safety learning, awareness and development campaigns, vetting tourism monitors, having SAPS develop a unique coding system for crimes against tourists and creating a safety programme for the monitors.