In response to a concerning surge in crime on Table Mountain the importance of community involvement in assisting law enforcement by being the “eyes and ears” was emphasised at a meeting held on Thursday 2 November.PHOTO: supplied


In response to a concerning surge in crime on one of Cape Town’s tourism hotspots, over 250 residents, security groups and government officials gathered at Jan van Riebeeck Primary School Hall on Thursday 2 November to discuss proactive measures to enhance mountain safety.


Much like the South African’s talent to tackle things head-on like we did in the World Cup Rugby, local communities are rallying together to do the same in response to the crime surge affecting visitors, walkers, hikers and tourists on Table Mountain.

In response to a concerning surge in crime on one of Cape Town’s tourism hotspots, over 250 residents, security groups and government officials gathered at Jan van Riebeeck Primary School Hall on Thursday 2 November to discuss proactive measures to enhance mountain safety.

“The meeting was organised as part of the Mountain Safety Initiative, which aims to empower the community to play an active role in curbing criminal activities,” the meeting’s organiser Clarissa Coetzee told People’s Post.

She said the meeting’s purpose was about information sharing among residents, and various stakeholders safeguarding the mountain and empowering ordinary citizens with means to safeguard those frequenting the famed and beloved Natural Wonder attraction.

“It’s important to know which channels any suspicious activity surrounding the mountain can be reported to. As residents, not knowing exactly all the challenges faced by police and law enforcement, it’s easy to point the frustrated finger for action. However, we also believe crime on Table Mountain has reached a level that needs the community’s involvement to help curb and report crime to be responded to,” Coetzee continued.

Notable among the speakers was Blake Dyason, the founder of Love Our Trails, who passionately addressed those attending, urging them to be part of the solution.

He emphasized the importance of community involvement in assisting law enforcement by being the “eyes and ears” on Table Mountain. He encouraged attendees to engage with various social media groups and save contact details for organisations dedicated to mountain safety, such as Love Our Trails, Take Back our Mountains, Friends of Cape Town, SANParks and Wilderness Search and Rescue.

Dyason highlighted the challenges law enforcement faces in patrolling the mountain due to capacity limitations and implored the community to report all incidents and suspicious individuals through the provided channels. He revealed that his team is actively developing a system to compile incident data more accurately, enabling a more effective response.

“It’s important to know which channels any suspicious activity surrounding the mountain can be reported to. As residents, not knowing exactly all the challenges faced by police and law enforcement, it’s easy to point the frustrated finger for action. However, we also believe crime on Table Mountain has reached a level that needs the community’s involvement to help curb and report crime to be responded to.”
Clarissa Coetzee

For those interested in contributing to mountain safety further, Andy Davies, the chair of Friends of Table Mountain, proposed the establishment of neighbourhood watch trail groups. He encouraged individuals keen on initiating such groups to get in touch with him.

Recognising the constraints faced by SANParks in managing Table Mountain, those present were urged by Davies to address their concerns directly by writing to Minister Barbara Creecy, who oversees the Ministry of Forestry and Fisheries and Environmental Affairs. He also encouraged residents to advocate for increased resources and manpower for mountain patrols.

Take Back Our Mountains (TBOM) is a committed non-profit group that has been conducting visitor safety patrols three times a week for the past six years.

“On that particular evening [of the meeting], our patrol was focused on Deer Park. We extend our best wishes to the stakeholders who will be taking over the patrols and emphasize the importance of their safety,” said its founder Taahir Osman in an interview with People’s Post on Wednesday 8 November. He adds that they have, regrettably so, made the difficult decision to discontinue their visitor safety patrols.

“This choice stems from the lack of cooperation from certain members of the [SANParks Table Mountain] management team – despite our efforts to propose various fundraising ideas and safety initiatives.”

Keri Cross, the developer of the safety solution app Buzzer, also addressed the meeting. She explained how Buzzer collaborates with security companies, neighbourhood watches, and first responders to provide a coordinated approach to safety. Buzzer’s unique capabilities include geolocating users upon app activation and sending alerts to local control rooms, response teams, and residents in the vicinity of an incident.

City Centre police were approached by People’s Post for exact figures of incidents reported around Table Mountain over the past few months, but they had not responded by the time of going to print yesterday (13 November).

To stay connected with these safety initiatives and contribute to mountain safety, community members are encouraged to follow the provided groups and websites:

  • Sanparks Table Mountain National Park Facebook group/sanparks.org
  • Love Our Trails: loveourtrails.com
  • Take Back our Mountain: takebackourmountains.co.za
  • Friends of Cape Town Facebook group
  • Wilderness Search and Rescue: wsar.org.za

The success of the Mountain Safety Initiative relies on active involvement of the community, joining forces with safety networks.

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