A pamphlet with safety tips for tourists meant to be handed out to them as they hit Nelson Mandela Bay’s shores could instead be just the thing that lands them in dangerous situations.
Bizarrely, the “Stay Safe in the Bay Tourism Safety Guide” includes a map that directs visitors to known crime hotspots and derelict parts of Central in Gqeberha.
Unveiled at the municipality’s festive season safety and security launch last week, the pamphlet has been criticised by safety and security role players in the city.
However, the municipality says steps are taken to prepare visitors on arrival in the Bay and it is engaging with the relevant stakeholders to curb crime in the metro.
This is cold comfort for a Swiss couple who were robbed at gunpoint of a cellphone and cash earlier this week while picnicking at St George’s Park — one of the spots highlighted on the map as a place to visit.
The map shows a section of Gqeberha, which includes Richmond Hill, Central, South End and parts of Humewood and Walmer, with markers indicating historical buildings, art galleries, parks, eateries, shops and other points of interest.
The majority of the markers point to places of interest in Central and around St George’s Park.
One indicates that tourists can visit the St George’s Park Swimming Baths — a public pool that has not been operational for some time.
The front entrance and perimeter gates of the pool were locked when Weekend Post visited the area earlier this week.
The pool was half filled with brown, stagnant water and paving around it had been dug up.
The route to the pool, which goes past the Duck Pond End of St George’s Park and the St George’s Cricket Ground showed clear evidence of vagrant activity and drug use.
A small section of the cricket ground’s outer wall was scorched from where a fire was made, and used needles and broken bottles were scattered around the makeshift fireplace.
Jo Byram, a guest house operator in Gqeberha for the better part of three decades, said two of her guests were mugged at gunpoint after a quick web search suggested they go to St George’s Park for a picnic — similar to what is indicated on the Tourism Safety Guide’s map.
“The young Swiss couple visited Gqeberha on the recommendation of one of their parents who came here years ago.
“They came from the Kruger Park and stayed with us for three days.
“But on the last day they went to St George’s Park and a group of guys held them at gunpoint and robbed them of a cellphone, cash and bank cards,” Byram said.
They have since left the city and are making their way along the Garden Route to Cape Town.
Byram said such incidents placed the entire hospitality industry in a difficult position as accommodation operators had to warn guests about the possible dangers they faced.
“I would like to welcome my guests and tell them all is well and they can walk along the beach at night and visit where they like, but no accommodation operator can do that.
“There is less and less for visitors to do in this city,” she said.
“I have lived here my whole life, and I have operated a business for most of that time and I am truly disappointed at what is currently happening.”
Central’s significant heritage and historic sites, many of which are indicated on the Tourism Safety Guide map, are popular tourist attractions.
Among them is Fort Frederick, a military outpost constructed in 1799 to prevent French troops from landing in the Bay.
The fort’s more recent history was one of crime and vandalism until a private security guard was eventually posted there.
However, it has not deterred vagrants from camping nearby, and anyone visiting the historic site passes by the makeshift shelter of homeless individuals, their littering and even faeces.
Not far from the fort is No 7 Castle Hill, built in 1825 as the home for Reverend Francis McCleland, Gqeberha’s first reverend and architect.
It is a well-preserved example of a typical home in the early days of the Bay. However, the surrounding area paints a very different picture.
Within a block’s radius of the old home, there is clear evidence of vagrants and drug abusers, with used needles and empty liquor bottles a common sight.
Though some abandoned buildings have been bricked up in an effort to deter squatters, the brickwork has been broken and vagrants, some clearly intoxicated, can be seen coming and going from them.
A resident who lives across the road from the historic house said they would never recommend to tourists that they walk around the area unaccompanied.
“I hear of people walking down the street and guys run past to snatch their cellphones or their handbags.
“Then they disappear into one of these abandoned buildings and you don’t find them again.”
Students living in Pearson Street said that as recently as last weekend someone had been robbed at knifepoint and their cellphones taken.
“We’ve seen an increase in private security operatives in the area, so it’s been a lot better than in the past.
“But it’s still far from safe, especially for people who don’t know the area.”
The Community Policing Forum (CPF) chair for the Humewood precinct, Kevin Slattery, said he had seen the map and found it “very concerning”.
The CPF operates across the entire beachfront, including Summerstrand and Humewood, and stretches into Central.
“We are liaising with the relevant stakeholders to see if the situation cannot be remedied,” Slattery said.
“From what we understand, these maps are to be handed out to tourists getting off cruise ships in the harbour, and without any guidance they could find themselves in serious trouble.”
In recent months, City Wide Security has been working closely with the management of the Central Special Rates Area to explore ways of securing the area.
The initiatives include camera systems and dedicated patrols.
City Wide director Stephen Moore said though Central had a lot of potential it was not nearly as safe as it could be.
When asked about the Tourism Safety Guide and points of interest indicated on the map, Moore said: “It is downright irresponsible of the municipality and city officials to put out a map like this.”
Municipal spokesperson Mamela Ndamase said providing tourists and residents with safety tips, as seen on the pamphlet, was an initiative of the city’s economic development, tourism and agriculture department and formed part of visitor services management.
“The aim is to alert each visitor who is visiting Nelson Mandela Bay.
“Safety and security, in partnership with SAPS and the private sector, is working hard to curb crime and ensure that visitors are safe.”
In response to the questionable map provided on the pamphlet, Ndamase said a map was a living document that was updated as and when the need arose.
“In addition to the map, we are engaging the cruise line agents to also caution passengers who will be disembarking.
“Passengers and visitors are encouraged to walk in groups and consider using local tour operators, tour guides and tourism ambassadors.
“Preparatory meetings are take place prior to arrival of each cruise liner to ensure sufficient deployment of resources.
“Present in the meetings are law enforcement agencies, municipal officials, Transnet, ship agents and other stakeholders.”
With regard to certain locations pointed out on the map, Ndamase said public pools were closed due to the long-standing drought, and while some of the pools would be reopened for the summer season, others, such as the St George’s pool, would have to be rehabilitated before becoming operational again.
She said the municipality was also working with stakeholders to ensure the cleanliness of attractions and surrounding areas.
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