How safe are our hiking trails in Hermanus? This is the question that many nature lovers ask after two women were mugged at the Fernkloof Nature Reserve recently.
This incident happened on 23 September. According to Captain Fadila September, spokesperson of the Hermanus police, the complainant and her friend as walking near the Fernkloof waterfall bridge at 14:00. “The two women were approached by two unknown males,” she said. “They were both threatened with sharp objects and were robbed of their jewellery, cell phones and cash. A docket has been opened.”
The Mayor of the Overstrand, Dr Annelie Rabie, said in a statement the women immediately reported the incident to the Fernkloof Rangers’ office, which contacted Law Enforcement and the police.
“The police arrived on the scene quickly and the Hermanus Public Protection (HPP) CCTV camera footage was requested for further assistance,” she said. “A drone was also dispatched and the Fernkloof Rangers patrolled the area to look for the criminals.”
The women, who are from Betty’s Bay, were not injured, but were shaken by their ordeal and were very concerned about their cellphones, which have all their information.
The Mayor discussed the issue of personal safety in public areas at length with her Mayco members and senior staff. She indicated a wider strategic consultation with the police and all other security providers is needed to ensure collaboration and efficiency.
“The municipality has already increased its law enforcement’s presence in Rotary Drive and will do the same in Fernkloof,” Rabie stated. “However, Fernkloof Reserve is not enclosed and has almost 20 access points, which makes entry easy, but difficult to control.”Previous incidents
In December 2017 a British tourist was robbed at gunpoint in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve.
According to a police report the victim, an elderly British man, was walking along the jeep track in the mountains when the two suspects accosted him, threatening him with a firearm and a knife and robbed him of his possessions. One shot was reportedly also fired. Quick action by Law Enforcement officers and the police led to the suspects’ arrest in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley shortly after the robbery was reported. Masixole Ntabeni and Xolisa Nojubalala were sentenced to 15 years behind bars.
In 2020 Hermanus Times reported on a knife attack in Fernkloof Nature Reserve (“Knife attack in kloof”, Hermanus Times, 6 February 2020) and according to the then Overstrand Municipal Manager, Coenie Groenewald, the municipality was in charge of security at the reserve.
“The Fernkloof Operational Safety Plan can succeed only if there is a good working relationship between the municipality and other role-players, such as the police, neighbourhood watches, security companies and the HPP,” he said in Hermanus Times of 12 February 2020.
According to a resident who is involved with the Fernkloof Nature Reserve, the problem has occurred since 2010 and still no safety plan has been put in place.
He said: “This is an old problem and there is a solution; everyone putting their own political agendas aside and working towards what is in the best interests of the reserve. There are a lot of people who want to get involved in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve. It is high time the NGOs, Overstrand Municipality, interested parties and CapeNature joined forces and worked together. The signs are there that the municipality cannot deal with this problem on its own.”. The Rotary Way, also one of Hermanus’ most popular tourist attractions, is also a hotspot for criminal activities. In Hermanus Times of 23 February 2022 (“Robbed on Rotary Way”) the victim said she always used to tell visitors to go to the Rotary Way for the beautiful views, but she will no longer do this after what happened.