For many of us who use the mountain to get out and about, Saturday’s harrowing attack on a group of hikers has left us all a little shaky.

Although efforts are being made to beef up security, the mountains are so vast that you can’t help feel a little uneasy at the mere thought of trekking from one side of the peninsula to the other.

Now, 67-year-old Yvonne Cormack from from Harlow in Essex, UK – one member of the nine-people party that was attacked on Saturday morning – has spoken out, reports IOL.

Here’s her side of the story:

“It was around 10am in the Silvermine Nature Reserve. We were walking and the guys came running at us with knives. They first attacked one of the women, who was standing on a rock taking photos.

“Then they told us to throw our phones and bags to the ground. Next they started attacking my husband Don (Cormack, 71), who they stabbed nine times all over his body. I took a stick and started hitting at the robber then he started stabbing me too. He stabbed me in my arm and back of my head.

“I screamed at Don to give him his bag which Don did and I also gave them mine. Then they attacked Don again. The other robber followed one of the other hikers, who ran to get a phone signal to call for help. His face was brutally damaged after he was hit with a rock. He is in a critical condition in hospital.

“They operated on him for four hours. Another hiker’s face was also smashed with a rock. They attacked five of us. After they took our bags and phones they left.

“The others luckily found a group not far from us who had a doctor and rescue officer with them. Because Don and the other guy could not walk I waited with them till the rescue helicopter came.

“I have been hiking on the mountain for two years and it is the first time something like this has happened. We are lucky to be alive. I won’t forget that knife coming at me and cutting into my skin,” she said.

What the actual.

Her husband, Don Cormack, 71, speaking from his hospital bed at the Victoria Hospital [above], was still traumatised after the attack and explained that his “memory of the events was also still a bit vague”.

SANParks spokesperson Merle Collins said:

“To this point Table Mountain National Park has appointed a visitor safety team whose role it is to keep crime to a minimum in the national park.”

To make us feel better, SANPark’s strategy to combat the increased violent attacks on the mountain includes “ongoing surveillance, observation points to monitor the mountain, as well as an increase of patrols in the area”:

“(This) has produced many successes since its inception.

“In addition, the park also boasts a ranger corps which has as one of their roles law enforcement in the park.

“These teams are supported by a dog unit consisting of 12 level four security-trained canines,” Collins said.

“Management would like to caution the public not to take the law into their own hands and not to interfere in any official law enforcement duties.

So far, two arrests have been made following incidents that took place this month:

“The perpetrators were responsible for a mugging on Platteklip and Signal Hill and were positively identified as being linked to the crime incidents respectively.”

Keep on keeping on there, SANParks.

[source:iol]