Meeting addresses crime on Numbi Road
Cameras, more police officers and private security patrols to be placed on the Numbi Road.
1 hour ago
Tumelo Waga Dibakwane
Following a spate of attacks on tourists on the road leading to the Kruger National Park’s Numbi Gate, a possible breakthrough has been made following a recent meeting with various stakeholders.
Linda Grimbeek, COO of the KLCBT, said the meeting was held with all the security personnel in the area, tribal authorities, MTPA and SANParks on Thursday April 7, to come up with solutions to fight tourist attacks in the area.
Cameras, more police officers and private security patrols to be placed on the Numbi Road, were some of the measures that were discussed. “Installing cameras on the road to monitor the area that will operate 24 hours a day will help the security and police to identify some of the criminals who attack tourists or ordinary people in the area. The police in Masoyi have also agreed to increase the number of patrols, and the private security companies will also assist to curb crime in the area,” she said.
“Closing the Numbi Gate will not solve the issue of crime, because some of the community members benefit from the tourists going to the KNP who use the gate. The area has over 80% youth unemployment, which is a big concern. We need to address the issue of how to come up with job opportunities, because that will also assist in decreasing crime, since implementing all these safety measures and ignoring the main source of the problem is useless,” said Grimbeek.
Capt Nanikie Nonyane, the spokesperson for Masoyi Police Station, confirmed that more officers will be deployed. They also pleaded with tourists who were attacked to press charges. “More officers will be deployed to patrol the area. We are worried about reports regarding a high number of tourist attacks on the Numbi Road, but according to our system, we have only had three cases in the past three months. We plead with tour guides or anyone who was attacked to come and open a case so that it can be investigated,” she said.
Nonyane also said they had had an incident in which some of the tourists who had been attacked had refused to press charges.
Meanwhile, the KNP and MTPA, in a joint statement, welcomed the initiatives that have been put in place for all tourism stakeholders to collaborate and work together for the safety of tourists.
Numbi Road attacks
1. March 31, 2022: Two German tourists are robbed by two unknown men.
2. January 3, 2022: Melani de Beer and her two children, are attacked by two armed men near a taxi rank at Mganduzweni Trust on the R538.
3. September 12 2021: A British woman and 10 foreigners are hijacked after exiting Numbi Gate.
4. December 23, 2021: Three local tourists are robbed by unknown suspects while parked outside Numbi Gate.
5. December 18, 2021: There is an attempted robbery on three tour guides.
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