Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane says the launch of the Tourism Safety Monitors will help improve safety around Table Mountain and bolster tourist arrivals.
Kubayi-Ngubane said this when she introduced 69 new safety monitor recruits at the launch of the National Tourism Safety Awareness Campaign at Table Mountain in Cape Town on Thursday morning.
“I am excited because I’m able to say to our tourists we are doing something about their concerns and today we are here deploying our safety monitors.
“We are rolling out our safety campaign to ensure that when tourists come here, they enjoy this beautiful country and go back to their countries and tell many other people to visit South Africa,” she said.
The launch follows concerns over the number of incidents, where tourists fell victim to violent attacks on Table Mountain.
In a recent incident, an Ukranian tourist was attacked and murdered for his belongings while hiking on Chapman’s Peak at the end of last month.
This sparked outrage over the lack of safety patrols on Table Mountain, which is world renowned as one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
In addition to the 69 recruits, about 19 more are still in training and will be deployed in the near future. They will monitor activities on the mountain and report promptly to the police if there is anything suspicious.
The initiative is in partnership with SA National Parks, the Department of Environment, Fisheries and Forestry, SA Police Service and the business sector. It also boost job creation efforts as the safety monitors were previously unemployed.
Mobile App to help international visitors in distress
Kubayi-Ngubane said, meanwhile, that over and above the deployment of safety monitors, the department will make use of drone technology – similar to what has been used in anti-rhino poaching efforts at SA National Parks sites.
She said by December, the department hopes to introduce a mobile app that will help visitors to safely navigate their way around the country upon arrival.
“In December, we will pilot a safety app [for tourists that will also allow us] to have their contact details if they find themselves in distress…” – SAnews.gov.za
