South Africa is augmenting police visibility in the aftermath of gun-wielding raiders targeting buses carrying foreign visitors along the key road connecting the capital, Pretoria, to the Sun City resort and adjacent national parks.
A bus transporting 32 Austrian tourists to Sun City was shot at recently, but the driver managed to continue with the journey till he arrived at a local police station.
According to authorities, in a separate instance, four masked gunmen recently stopped a smaller bus on the road and stole eleven individuals' jewellery, cash, phones, and bank cards.
In Table Mountain National Park, police and park rangers from Cape Town are also conducting special patrols.
Additionally, drones and helicopters are being employed to ensure safety in the vicinity of the 1,086-meter-tall plateau.
Nevertheless, three park rescuers were recently robbed while conducting a nighttime operation.
Although unidentified officials informed Africa News that several arrests were made, they continued to advise hikers to do the three-hour climb in groups during daylight hours.
Hundreds of thousands of tourists, the majority of whom are foreigners, visit Table Mountain National Park each year.
As summer approaches its climax in the southern hemisphere at the end of the year, the travel sector is concerned about the safety of travellers.
"Whilst an attack on a tourist is not more important than an attack on a local, it comes with an additional risk to the city of this investment in our tourism," said Jean-Pierre Smith, a Cape Town councillor responsible for the city's safety and security.
Four million tourists visited South Africa throughout the first half of the year.
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