TMNP says reports suggesting growing criminality on Table Mountain are misleading
The park said it was in a partnership with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the City of Cape Town to clamp down on criminal elements in the area.
Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa. Picture: Falco/Pixabay
CAPE TOWN - Table Mountain National Park has described reports suggesting there was growing criminal activity on the mountain as misleading.
It said negative reports worked against efforts to market the tourist destination to visitors.
ALSO READ: CT authorites urged to urgently prioritise safety on Table Mountain ahead of tourist season
The park said it was in a partnership with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the City of Cape Town to clamp down on criminal elements in the area.
It said this would deal with muggings that were experienced on the mountain over the tourism season.
The park's head of communications, JP Louw, said: "Using speculative and unverifiable statistics, which are not supported by verifiable evidence and science, could lead to reckless and indefensible decision making, which SANParks [South African National Parks] cannot afford."
Louw added that statistics indicate that crime has decreased.
"Over the last year, the official crime statistics has drastically decreased from 16 and 32 respectively in October and November 2023 to 6 in July 2024 and 3 in August 2024. These are objective and verifiable statistics and SANParks has to date not been presented with objectives and verifiable numbers that are different to this."