Hikers set out before dawn on the trail of South Africa’s natural treasure Table Mountain, but instead of merely exploring its rocky scenery, they were also protesting a spike in attacks on walkers and visitors.
Mary Lloyd, a pensioner among the roughly 50 people assembled to sound the warning at one of Africa’s most visited locations, had just recently become one of the victims.
The 75-year-old was out for her usual walk along the trails of the massif when two men pounced on her, snatching her phone and threatening to cut off her fingers if she didn’t remove her rings quickly enough.
“Mostly I feel absolutely angry because it has taken away my freedom on the mountain. I don’t feel safe as I walk,” said Lloyd at the protest near Cape Town.
With the tourist season in South Africa nearing its peak, guides are concerned about taking hikers onto one of Africa’s greatest draws at dawn and twilight due to the risk.
According to Cape Town authorities, there have been more than 80 attacks on mountain paths this year, with the majority occurring since August.
‘We want to feel safe’
Special patrols are now conducted in the park by police and park rangers, while drones and helicopters buzz above the 1,086-meter-high plateau.
Three park rangers were robbed after completing a nighttime operation.
Authorities said some arrests have been made, but they still advise walkers to do the three-hour trek in groups and during daytime hours.
Munashe Serime, a 25-year-old trainee Cape Town lawyer, advises visitors to be cautious on the mountain.
“I think people underestimate, seeing that when you (are) hiking you have your guard down,” Serime added.
Mountain guide Kathy Leverton, 39, considers the mountain paths to be her “office” but is now nervous when she enters.
“Everybody wants to feel safe going to their office,” she said.
“You definitely think twice now when people want to book tours for sunrise in particular, because it does mean waiting around in the morning in the dark.”
Friends of Table Mountain chairman Andy Davies told the demonstrators that it was “unacceptable” to be “too afraid to go up our mountain.” As a community, we must stand up and fight for the right to use our mountain safely.”
Hiker demonstrators marched to the top of the mountain on the Lion’s Heat path, where many hikers have been attacked, wearing headlamps and holding banners.
“For the residents of the city, it’s a place of peace and tranquility where we can escape work stress and life stress,” said Davies.
“It’s also a very, very important tourist attraction. And it’s incredibly important that we take care of the mountain and that we ensure that anybody who visits the mountain feels safe.”
‘Killing golden goose’
Every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists, many of them are from abroad, visit the Table Mountain National Park. The travel industry is concerned as the southern hemisphere summer season approaches its end-of-year peak.
Jean-Pierre Smith, a Cape Town councilman in charge of the city’s safety and security, stated that tourism employs up to 240,000 people in Cape Town, but he emphasized recent arrests.
“Whilst an attack on a tourist is not more important than an attack on a local, it comes with an additional risk to the city of this investment in our tourism,” he said.
In the first six months of the year, South Africa received four million tourists. Industry contributes more to the economy than agriculture does.
However, rising crime is a significant problem throughout the country. Police have also increased patrols on the main route leading from Pretoria to the Sun City resort and adjoining national parks after gunmen targeted buses carrying international visitors.
According to police, the driver of a bus carrying 32 Austrians continued driving till he arrived at the Sun City police station after shots were fired at the vehicle.
According to authorities, four masked gunmen stopped a smaller bus on the route last week and stole jewelry, cash, phones, and bank cards from 11 occupants.
People like Leverton, who depend on tourism, said she would not give up but is frustrated.
Leverton said bookings are down but she is determined not to be “trapped”.
“I don’t want to be a prisoner. So I will still come out and I will still do my thing and go on my hikes and take my guests,” she insisted.
“Table Mountain is one of the top three earning national parks in the country. It’s kind of killing the golden goose by not maintaining safety.”
