There have been increased reports of muggings on hiking trails in Cape Town recently. Hiking group Take Back our Mountains (TBOM) urges residents to be extra cautious when taking to the trails.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday [February 10], TBOM wrote that there has been a recent spike in muggings in the following areas:
-Kleinplaas Dam in Simon’s town
– Alphen trail in Constantia
– Tafelberg road in Table Mountain Park
– Boyes Drive below Pecks Valley
– Signal Hill on Lions Head
There is no official confirmation on actual muggings reported to the South African Police Service (SAPS). According to Captain FC Van Wyk, crime statistics cannot be disclosed due to a moratorium, as it is released on a quarterly basis by the minister of Police.
In a statement to Cape Town ETC, TBOM said that muggings tend to increase during the summer period when there is increased activity on the trials. They think unemployment and drug addiction are the main causes of these attacks.
“Recently we had two runners that were brutally attacked on Tafelberg road, hikers/runners should try not to resist when being mugged as that normally leads to the attackers being violent,” said TBOM.
Take Back Our Mountains, in collaboration with SANParks normally conduct safe monthly hikes for the community, but this is currently on hold due to lockdown level 3 regulations.
To stay safe, they urge hikers and runners to join hiking clubs and move in a larger group as well as try and hike in the peak times when trails are busy, which is in the early morning and late afternoon. It is also wise to choose more popular trails where more people are guaranteed so that you will not be isolated and become a greater target.
There is a Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) Security Alert WhatsApp group where hikers, trail runners and mountain bikers can report any suspicious characters on TMNP with an immediate deployment from SANParks rangers to that specific area.
Contact Taahir Osman 073 624 4287 to join the group.
Follow Take Back Our Mountains for updates on crime and safe hikes on TMNP.
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TAKE A HIKE: Pipe Track to Kasteelspoort and the famous Diving Board
Picture: Facebook / Take Back Our Mountains