Table Mountain muggers spark vigilante fears

I can see how vigilantism would be tempting. The fact that there is a risk of it shows that the police aren't doing their job properly.

You will also see a quote in the article: 'Take off all your jewellery when you're on the mountain'. OK, fine. We all know that muggers like shiny jewelry. (As opposed to the 35 Rand (because I was too lazy to bargain down) necklace I was wearing while I was up there.) But general advice you read "everywhere" includes "not flashing your fancy camera" or something along those lines... um, duh? The reason a lot of us go up there in the first place is... *drumroll*... TO TAKE PICTURES!

Anyway...

From IOL.co.za:

Vigilantes will not be tolerated on Table Mountain.

That was the word from Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) manager Brett Myrdal, following offers to TMNP from people wanting to take the law into their own hands by mounting armed patrols to "deal" with robbers responsible for a spate of muggings in the park in recent months.

The current hotspot is around Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, adjacent to TMNP, and Skeleton Gorge, where more than 20 people have been robbed - mostly at knifepoint - in the past two months.

So far, no arrests have been made that have led to successful prosecutions.

Sources close to the investigation say that in response to the attacks, representatives of some hiking and climbing clubs on the Peninsula have threatened to arm themselves, group together and hunt down the gang believed to be responsible for the attacks.

Myrdal said: "We welcome public support of our efforts to put an end to crime in the park but we cannot, and will not, tolerate vigilante groups taking the law into their own hands.

What I would like to see happen is for some Krav Maga practitioner (or whatever other self defense/martial art) tourist kick the ass of some mugger, only for the mugger to stumble back and step on and get bitten by a poisonous snake. That would be so cool...