A man is expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrates Court today following a reckless act of vandalism that occurred at the Kloofnek parking area of Table Mountain.
The man, who appears to be dronk, was caught on camera taking a chair and smashing the windscreen of a white BMW in the parking area on Saturday.
A video of the incident was shared on the Take Back Our Mountains (TBOM) Facebook page.
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk confirmed that two cases of malicious damage to property have been filed.
“According to reports a person who seemed to be under the influence of alcohol damaged the windows of vehicles at Signal Hill, Kloofnek Road, Cape Town. The adult person was arrested and detained at Cape Town Central Saps,” he said.
The TBOM Facebook post sparked outrage.
Reign Reign posted: “Disgusting behaviour by a thug! Punishment isn't harsh enough for the lowlifes of society! It's as if it's a norm-they get caught-maybe, some get a form of punishment - life goes on---only the victim suffers the consequences...and the cycle continues the next day again.”
JP Louw, Head of Communications at SANParks, says the incident was reported to them via WhatsApp. He says steps are being taken to keep visitors safe.
“To continue its fight against crime, SANParks also started implementing a Safety and Awareness Campaign at Table Mountain National Park in collaboration with the South African Police Service, City of Cape Town Metro Police, SANParks Honorary Rangers, Working on Fire, SANParks Volunteers and neighbourhood watch groups.”
Louw says two robbery incidents on the Pipe Track and Deer Park hiking trails were reported over the weekend, where one victim was injured by five assailants.
He says a collaborative effort involving SANParks Rangers, Law Enforcement, and Volunteer Safety Services led to the arrest of two suspects near Military Road.