Theresa Beetge, Muizenberg
In the past six weeks I have heard about at least 14 muggings that took place on Sunrise Beach. One of them I witnessed and could do nothing to help as I was too far away.
I have seen suspicious characters on the beach just about every day but have only seen Law Enforcement there twice.
Last weekend, a lady was attacked, stabbed in the hand and beaten over the head.
Most of the regular beach walkers have no valuables but are easy targets and an attack like this, with knife-wielding youngsters, can leave you scarred for life.
Fortunately, I have been able to avoid any such attacks as I walk in a crowd and the regular beach walkers are very good at communicating with people to try and make sure they stay safe. But the question remains, when is enough actually enough? Why can’t we take a walk on our beaches and stay safe? What are Law Enforcement and the police doing about this?
People are encouraged to report, and have been reporting, the incidents, yet I don’t see any police presence on Sunrise Beach, and the Law Enforcement office is right there.
Regular patrols, morning afternoon and evening would be a good start in helping to keep people safe. We need to take back our beaches. Any ideas or suggestions are welcome. Only by working together as a community can we try and change things for the better. Support from the police would be good starting point.
* Richard Bosman, executive director for safety and security responds:
The City’s Law Enforcement department has implemented
enforcement operations at the beach in question. In the event that an arrest is made, a Law Enforcement vehicle is parked close by to transport the suspect/s to SAPS.
Whilst on patrol in the mentioned area, officers found a male suspect hiding in the dunes. The officers apprehended the suspect and took him to SAPS where he was found to be a wanted person. The arrest happened on Friday October 11.
Law Enforcement works closely with SAPS with regards to profiling of suspects. Recently, officers arrested two men suspected of being linked to robberies. The investigation is ongoing. Law Enforcement arranged with SAPS for their quad bikes to be used and will deploy additional staff to assist on weekends. This area has been prioritised and officers will have a zero-tolerance approach to any anti-social behaviour or behaviour that poses a threat to the safety of beachgoers.
Blob: Muizenberg police acknowledged receipt of the letter but at the time of going to print had not responded.
