Cape Town - Despite the anticipated higher visitor numbers over the Easter weekend to the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), no crime-related incidents were reported but there were several fires at the tourist attraction.
Ahead of the long festive weekend, the TMNP welcomed the deployment of the Airbus H125 aircraft to support the Sea, Air and Mountain (Seam) special operations team and ranger corps in an effort to bolster visitor safety and security.
The chopper was brought in from the Kruger National Park where it is normally involved in rhino counterpoaching efforts under the management of the SA National Parks (SANParks).
Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Barbara Creecy visited the TMNP Newlands Fire Base on Monday, and was taken around the park on the aircraft.
Before that, Creecy was briefed on issues related to safety and security, as well as fires affecting the park.
Her visit was to inspect and provide support to the Seam rangers.
“Today is Family Day and many families are out on Table Mountain enjoying the 900 kilometres of hiking and cycling trails that we have.
“We know that late last year there was a serious security issue and a number of members of the public were robbed,” Creecy said.
The Seam unit operates together with the police and City of Cape Town metro police.
“We have just begun using drones but we still have to refine the technology because the distances here are actually greater than you realise when you are at the bottom, and (there are) questions of battery life and so on,” Creecy said.
She said they were busy with further recruitment to the Seam unit.
TMNP Seam unit manager, Jaclyn Smith, said they were an intelligence-driven operation.
She said there had been no major crime-related incidents since the beginning of the Easter weekend. The last reported incident was the theft of a mountain bike in Tokai in mid-March.
SANParks spokesperson, JP Louw, said around the month of November, reported crime related incidents stood at about 33.
The park has seen a decline in this, with six reported incidents in December and January, two in February, and one in March.
“Various things happen on the mountain, there can be muggings, car hijackings and all sorts of things. Fortunately, elements such as murder are not an issue for us now. It used to be, some time in the past.”
During a media briefing on March 13, TMNP reported that over 20 fires were started with malicious intent. From April last year to early March, the park recorded 106 fires compared to the 77 recorded for the same period the previous year.
shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za