Hutton-Squire said managers were ignoring the agreement that established Table Mountain National Park in 1998. “The agreement recognised that [it] would be an ‘urban park’ which could never be administrated in the same way that the existing rural national parks are managed,” he said.
“An open-access urban park requires a particular approach to park management that is very different from what is relevant elsewhere.”
The agreement also called for “co-operative governance” and a “relationship of trust”, said Hutton-Squire, neither of which existed.
“It also requires that an ‘independent body shall be appointed to review and evaluate the administration and management of the park’. Such a body does not exist.”
Another requirement allegedly ignored by the park was that the City of Cape Town should give written consent before charges could be levied for public access.
“A resolution to the increasing conflict between the public, the rangers and park management will only be achieved once an independent review body has been established to consider the day-to-day management of the park, and once all the park rangers have been appropriately trained, given their very public role,” said Hutton-Squire.
He said the Mountain Club would also discuss the matter with Cape Town mayor Dan Plato and Western Cape Premier Alan Winde.
Mountain Club 'inundated' with complaints about Table Mountain rangers
The Mountain Club of SA says it has been “inundated” with reports of clashes between members of the public and Table Mountain National Park rangers.
The club’s Cape Town section asked for feedback after last Friday’s incident in which rangers broke top cyclist Nic Dlamini’s arm in the Silvermine section of the park.
“From the responses, which vary from stories of verbal and physical attacks, to arrests and fines due to various frivolous claims, it is clear that many park users have fallen victim to the poor training and unclear mandate of the rangers,” said the Mountain Club’s Cape Town chairperson, Martin Hutton-Squire.
He said respondents also criticised park managers for ignoring complaints about the rangers and failing to address their conduct.
Now the club says it will work with politicians, including environment minister Barbara Creecy — whose department oversees SA National Parks — to find a “permanent solution”.
Hutton-Squire said the club was dismayed by the assault on Dlamini, which led to the precautionary suspension of five rangers, the appointment of a law firm to conduct an independent inquiry and surgery to repair the 24-year-old cyclist’s left humerus.
“It is regrettable that it took the possible destruction of a young SA cyclist’s career to bring attention to the bigger issue,” he said, wishing Dlamini a speedy recovery.
“Altercations between members of the public and the park rangers are, unfortunately, far too common. Consequently, the [mountain club] asked park users to share information about incidents they have been involved in, and we have been inundated with messages.
“The rangers should be properly trained and mentored to ensure that they understand how to engage with the public, regardless of the circumstances.
“Many park users have aired their frustration regarding the response from park management when a complaint is lodged against rangers, and many complain that no evident action seems to be taken, and that the situation is not improving.”
Hutton-Squire said managers were ignoring the agreement that established Table Mountain National Park in 1998. “The agreement recognised that [it] would be an ‘urban park’ which could never be administrated in the same way that the existing rural national parks are managed,” he said.
“An open-access urban park requires a particular approach to park management that is very different from what is relevant elsewhere.”
The agreement also called for “co-operative governance” and a “relationship of trust”, said Hutton-Squire, neither of which existed.
“It also requires that an ‘independent body shall be appointed to review and evaluate the administration and management of the park’. Such a body does not exist.”
Another requirement allegedly ignored by the park was that the City of Cape Town should give written consent before charges could be levied for public access.
“A resolution to the increasing conflict between the public, the rangers and park management will only be achieved once an independent review body has been established to consider the day-to-day management of the park, and once all the park rangers have been appropriately trained, given their very public role,” said Hutton-Squire.
He said the Mountain Club would also discuss the matter with Cape Town mayor Dan Plato and Western Cape Premier Alan Winde.