[imagesource: SANParks]

The battle between cyclists and motorists will continue, unabated, for many years.

Let’s not wade into that one, but we’ve all seen sufficient road rage videos to know that some people cannot handle themselves with decorum on our roads.

It’s a different story regarding reports coming out of Newlands, Cape Town, with a SANParks ranger alleged to have been racially abused.

EWN says the ranger in question, a woman, is receiving trauma counselling:

The official at the Newlands picnic site was insulted, racially abused and pelted with stones after cyclists demanded entry to a cordoned-off section earlier this month…

The aggressive men disrespected the woman’s authority, jumped over a wall and entered the area marked as a danger zone…

The section is one of three that remain closed to the public following last month’s Table Mountain blaze.

SANParks’ Rey Thakhuli on Tuesday said: “They also called her the K-word, which is not used in our country.”

Correct – it shouldn’t be. Bugger off to Greece and wear a kak hat on the beach if that’s a word you consider throwing around.

Rondebosch police are now probing the matter.

Along with the Newlands picnic site, the Deer Park and Rhodes Memorial areas also remain closed, as post-fire rehabilitation work continues in the northern section of Table Mountain National Park.

The incident involving the female ranger above isn’t the only cause for concern, with IOL reporting that it’s not an isolated incident:

The Newlands Forest Conservation Group said it has recently received some disturbing reports of shocking behaviour from some park visitors who had subjected rangers to physical and verbal abuse, because they were not happy that some sections of the park remained closed.

The group said rangers were shouted at and abused when they tried to stop visitors entering the closed areas.

In the wake of April’s fire, SANParks was criticised for improper fire management and ignoring warning signs, and perhaps fairly so.

Now, with efforts underway to rehabilitate some of the worst affected areas, members of the public see fit to act in such an entitled and racist manner?

No, do better.

Thakhuli has requested that the public be patient so that the work can be completed, and visitors can safely return to enjoy the park.

[sources:ewn&iol]