[imagesource: Anthony Molyneaux]

The fire that tore through UCT, before making its way along Table Mountain’s slopes to Devil’s Peak, is still fresh in the minds of Capetonians.

The damage and destruction were heartbreaking to witness, and it’s made all the more infuriating when you consider that an investigation found “compelling evidence suggesting that the fire may have been started as a malicious act”.

CCTV footage showed a vehicle in the area where the fire started, and the report concluded with the belief that “the fire was started by human intent”.

In response, South African National Parks (SANParks) has now announced a new joint operation centre (JOC) to combat crime in the Table Mountain area, which will also aim to stamp out any potential arsonists.

Here’s The Daily Maverick:

The operation is in its first phase — establishing a point of contact for reporting emergencies or security concerns by park users, SANParks spokesperson Rey Thakhuli [said]…

Phase 1 includes CCTV monitoring, day and night patrols, removing people from the park after regular hours and conducting patrols focusing on hotspots.

“The command centre will also be able to dispatch resources to areas of concern while serving as the main intelligence collection point for Table Mountain National Park [TMNP] with regard to safety and security matters,” Thakhuli said.

Over the years, as reports of violent crime in TMNP continue to flood in, various initiatives have been launched.

2019 brought news of an increased number of ‘tourism monitors’ deployed across different areas. The park covers around 25 000 hectares, stretching from Cape Point to Signal Hill, so further measures are clearly needed.

In addition to security measures, SANParks said it will also step up fire management strategies:

These efforts are to address challenges such as invasive alien plant removal, biodiversity maintenance and the urban edge’s fire preparedness.

“Public awareness on matters relating to fire management such as fire preparedness, good conduct and fireproofing of homes and infrastructure on the urban edge is critical,” the spokesperson said.

The April fire was initially believed to have been caused by an unattended vagrant fire. One arrest was made linked to fires started at a second location near Devil’s Peak.

SANParks says that it’s well aware of the homelessness problem that affects the area, but lacks the resources to deal with that situation.

The City of Cape Town appears to favour a zero-tolerance approach, which has been met with stiff criticism.

If anyone has information linked to the identity of whoever started the April fire, there is a R10 000 reward on offer.

[source:dailymaverick]