Shacks built near Dunoon were flooded after heavy rainfall at the weekend. Shacks built near Dunoon were flooded after heavy rainfall at the weekend.
Image: Henk Kruger African News Agency (ANA)
Cape Town’s reputation as a tourism destination and its ability to attract investment could be affected by concerns about violent crime, with industry and community voices warning that reports of attacks may influence how visitors and investors view the city.
The concerns follow a week of shootings linked to a dispute between the Cape Amalgamated Taxi Association (CATA) and the Congress of Democratic Taxi Associations (CODETA), which reached Cape Town International Airport on October 30.
About half of the airport company’s staff were unable to get to work, while 60 flights departed late.
Cape Town Tourism chief executive Enver Duminy said safety was an important part of the visitor experience and that tourists needed reliable information to make informed decisions.
“We ensure visitors have access to reliable information that helps them make informed decisions and explore Cape Town with confidence. We work with partners across the tourism and safety sectors to share relevant guidance and reinforce the message that safety is a shared responsibility.”
Duminy said perceptions of crime could also influence investment decisions in townships and outer suburbs, but stressed the importance of distinguishing perceptions from verified crime data.
“Tourism can create meaningful opportunities for businesses and communities across Cape Town, so safety concerns must be addressed through coordinated action, credible information, and continued collaboration,” he said.
He said addressing safety required co-operation between government, law enforcement, businesses, communities and the tourism industry.
Crime perceptions influence property decisions
Annie Lots, who works in property in Cape Town, said the city was still perceived as safer by some prospective tenants moving from areas on the Cape Flats.
“I do full-time rentals in the Northern suburbs. Prospective tenants in the areas I work in, Parow, Thornton, Goodwood, even Brooklyn, will always ask what the crime situation is like. If they come from Belhar, Delft and Khayelitsha, they perceive all these areas as safe or safer than where they come from,” she said.
Her comments highlight how perceptions of safety can differ depending on where people are moving from and their experiences of crime.
Airport attacks prompt call for emergency information
VF Plus councillor Emre Uygun said visitors were often unfamiliar with emergency contact numbers when incidents occurred, particularly around Cape Town International Airport.
Uygun said people from other parts of South Africa and abroad had contacted him on social media after seeing his posts about attacks in the vicinity of the airport.
He called on government to install prominent information billboards at the airport exit and along routes leading away from the airport, displaying emergency contact numbers for tourists.
“There needs to be a massive, highly visible billboard displaying the emergency contact numbers at the exit of Cape Town International Airport. Both local and international visitors must know exactly who to contact for assistance if they fall victim to these attacks near the airport. We cannot expect visitors to know where to turn for help if we fail to make this information readily available to them,” he said.
Uygun said international organisations continued to support projects in townships and underprivileged communities to help address poverty, despite concerns about reported crime.
“Although much of the reported crime may occur in township areas, international organisations continue to support projects in townships and underprivileged communities, with the aim of uplifting communities affected by poverty. However, we still need to find practical ways to ensure that international visitors arriving in Cape Town are properly forewarned and provided with the necessary emergency contact information,” he said.
Crime seen as a deterrent to tourism and investment
Former City of Cape Town councillor and activist Paul Jacobson said perceptions of violent crime could influence decisions by tourists and investors, despite the city's natural attractions and infrastructure.
“It doesn't matter where you travel all over the world, people are dying to visit Cape Town. But the perception that Cape Town is a violent city is there,” he said.
Jacobson said investors also considered whether their investments would be secure in areas affected by crime.
“Whilst we have the most beautiful resources, natural resources, great infrastructure, this is the single biggest deterrent for people coming to visit our beloved province, and of course, an investor investing in property or in business, they are astute. They want to know that the investment is secure and that it's going to have longevity on its expiry of the investments. But yet they are very, very cautious, knowing that crime can have a serious impact,” he said.
Mayor condemns taxi-related violence
Cape Town mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis condemned the violence linked to the taxi industry dispute and called for a strong policing response.
“We utterly condemn the violence and lawlessness linked to disputes within the taxi industry. The senseless loss of life from these shootings must be met with the full might of a policing response,” he said.
Hill-Lewis said City officers were maintaining a heightened presence around public transport interchanges to protect commuters and monitor the situation.
“The City will act to uphold the rule of law and support police to bring these violent criminals to book. I call on taxi industry leaders to rise above the violence and ensure peace and calm prevail,” he said.