The City of Cape Town says it will provide support to SANParks to keep popular hiking trails and picnic spots safe over this holiday season.
It comes after previous years showed an increase in muggings in these areas during the festive period in Cape Town.
Trails on Table Mountain as well as the popular Lion’s Head trail have been notorious for mugging incidents in the past.
According to the City’s Mayco member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, support will be in the form of patrols, by area law enforcement staff and the Law Enforcement Tourism Unit.
“It must be noted that the City has hundreds of kilometres of popular hiking trails and scenic routes and with limited resources available," Smith said.
He added that it becomes almost impossible to maintain a constant presence along these trails.
“Instead the City uses a data-led enforcement approach to assist both SAPS and SANParks.”
Smith said that the City also has an integrated festive season readiness plan for the entire metropole to help curb crime.
“Our enforcement services work in tandem with numerous other agencies and organisations to ensure integration all year-round, but with special emphasis on the festive season,” he explained.
“This includes the Central Improvement Districts in various parts of the metropole, the SAPS, Community Policing Forums and Neighbourhood Watches, SANParks/TMNP as well as the Western Cape Department of Community Safety.”
SANParks hadn’t yet responded to queries by the Daily Voice.
byron.lukas@inl.co.za