Beach attack

AMJ Nypels, Muizenberg

On Saturday, a bright afternoon, just two hours after high tide, my wife and I took a walk on the quiet side of the Muizenberg beach.

About 1 km after the Sunrise Circle we were attacked by three youngsters with knives.

After some minutes of fighting, my wife fortunately managed to run away, because the criminals were focusing on me, and after more fighting, I went into the sea to find safety there.

We managed to get away. Only my camera and phone were destroyed by the water, because I had them in my pocket. And I had a scratch on my hand by one of the knives.

But we were severely traumatised and reported the case to the police.

This incident proves again that this part of the beach is not safe anymore, even on a sunny afternoon on the weekend.

Normally there are other people there but not this time and the criminals must have been waiting for that moment.

So after the mountains, even the beach is not safe anymore, which gives me the feeling that our living space is getting limited more and more. Where will this end? There is too little protection.

Why isn’t this area patrolled (horses?). And isn’t there a video camera installed?

The whole safety issue is also a threat to the tourism industry, because Muizenberg is famous because of its large beach.

I really do hope and wish crime will be brought to an end there in the name of nature, which we love, and need so much to unwind our minds. And being in fear brings only the opposite.

* Captain Stephen Knapp reported that no case with these details had been reported.

He said: “The ongoing robberies on Sunrise Circle is a concern for Muizenberg SAPS and in our ongoing endeavours to curb these crimes, Muizenberg SAPS have scattered patrols on the beaches, catwalk and mountain. Very often members are tasked to walk in civilian clothes. The beach, however, is an extensive terrain and with the adjacent dunes, makes the patrolling thereof challenging. The SAPS mounted unit is utilised when available, but it is not possible to have continuous mounted patrols. Assistance from neighbourhood watches is also appreciated and in conjunction with law enforcement are also deployed on the
beaches.