A few weeks ago I decided to take my family for a morning walk.
I considered a mountain hike, but I didn’t think any of the trails on Table Mountain were safe yet.
So I decided to walk up Chapman’s Peak Drive. It was a gorgeous morning and we enjoyed the views of Hout Bay Harbour.
I was desperate to take them up the mountain and show them why I had enjoyed hiking so much as a teenager. But for our safety, we stayed on the road.
During our walk, we passed the East Fort trail access and I remember feeling a bit annoyed at not wanting to go closer, in case we got attacked in the bushes, and my kids having to witness something awful on a day that was meant to be all pleasant.
Two weeks later and a foreigner lost his life at the same spot; stabbed to death for his backpack and a few other belongings.
Three robbers attacked the 44-year-old Ukranian a few metres from the road, stabbed him in the chest several times and left him to bleed to death.
Until then, that area hadn’t seen mountain attacks for a long time and it was considered safe to walk there.
What use is it that we’re often called THE most beautiful city in the world, but we are unable to enjoy it without fear of coming to harm?
People get attacked on our beaches for their cellphones; cyclists get attacked for their bikes; hikers for their backpacks and runners for their shoes.
Stay indoors and there’s the fear of a crowbar gang; inside your car, you fear hijackers; and at the mall, you fear gun-toting robbers, targeting ATMs or jewellers.
We are not even safe having an espresso at a venue seemingly as secure as the Mount Nelson Hotel any longer, because armed robbers have become fearless enough to attack there.
It’s one thing living in fear when you go about your business; it’s another thing all together when crime impacts on our ability to appreciate even just a moment of joy.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za