Authorities in South Africa have rejected calls for troops to be deployed to protect tourists on Table Mountain, one of its most iconic tourist attractions.

The Cape Town landmark has seen a rise in violent crime in recent months, with tourists falling victim to armed robbery on an almost daily basis. Official crime figures cite 18 attacks since January, but locals say that the number is much higher, with 15 attacks occurring in the past fortnight alone.

Comprising 85 square miles of unfenced wilderness in the heart of the city, Table Mountain provides an easy hunting ground for bandits. Gangs use guerilla-style hit-and-run tactics to target tourists, and now the city’s tourism chief, Simon Grindrod, says it’s time to send in the army.

“It is clear that the logistics of providing effective security to the massive area of the Table Mountain National Park are stretching both city and provincial law-enforcement resources beyond capacity,” Grindrod said. “The military do training exercises on the mountain - all they would need to do is up their visibility.”

The provincial minister of safety, Leonard Ramatlakane, dismissed calls for military intervention, recommending instead that tourists visit Table Mountain in groups. “Choosing to climb alone makes you vulnerable to opportunistic muggings,” he said, adding that tourists should not take valuables into the park.

As local headlines declared crime on the mountain to be “out of control”, Ray Chaplin, of the Make Table Mountain Safe campaign, criticised the authorities’ response. “I don’t think we should be telling tourists not to take cameras and the like because it is unsafe,” he said. “After all, why go up Table Mountain if you can’t take a photo?” He added that it was “time for the gloves to come off, and to take back the mountain”.

Park authorities have confirmed that security strategies are under review, and have identified the Lion’s Head, Skeleton Gorge and Signal Hill routes as the most dangerous. However, one former warden told The Sunday Times that nowhere on the mountain is safe. “The official advice is to travel in groups and always carry a cellphone, but that’s not going to be much use if someone sticks a gun in your face,” he said. “Sooner or later, a tourist will be murdered, so my advice is simply to stay off the mountain.”

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