Rondebosch police are investigating the assault of a 75-year-old woman on Rondebosch Common on Sunday, April 21, just after 11am.
Spokesperson Warrant Officer Lyndon Sisam says the woman was allegedly attacked while walking her dog close to the Campground Road part of Rondebosch Common.
“She accidentally bumped into a male and apologised but the suspect then asked for her cellphone, and she told him she did not have it. The suspect then searched the victim and only found her car keys in her jacket pocket,” he says.
Warrant Officer Sisam says the suspect then pulled out a knife, pulled the woman toward him and then dragged her on the ground.
“The victim started to scream as loud as she could, but he threatened her with the knife to stop and pushed the knife in her mouth.”
Warrant Officer Sisam says the woman sustained lacerations to her tongue, right hand, and the back of her head and was taken to hospital after the suspect fled. The woman is still recovering in the hospital.
The suspect is still at large and was described as slim-built, not very tall and as having a black beard.
Chairperson of the Friends of Rondebosch Common, Tim Jobson described the incident as unfortunate and said there had been a few muggings on Rondebosch Common in the past few months.
“We would like to urge metro police and the (SAPS) to improve their visibility around the Rondebosch Common,” he says.
Mr Jobson also urged all users of Rondebosch Common to be more observant of their surroundings. “People that are walking with headphones should not isolate themselves when walking on the Rondebosch Common,” he says.
Warrant Officer Sisam confirms that there were two mugging incidents in the Rondebosch Common area in January that took place on the corner of Sawkins Road and Park Road. In February there was another mugging incident when two suspects in an unknown blue vehicle robbed a victim of their cellphone.
Many running clubs make use of the Rondebosch Common for training.
President of Itheko Sport Athletic Club in Rondebosch, Zarina Brewer, says they do their training runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays and are always in groups. Ms Brewer says Rondebosch Common can be slightly dangerous in the early morning and late evening.
“We notice there are high trees and bushes on the Campground Road side, we would even urge the dog walkers to be extremely careful walking under those big trees,” she says.
Secretary of the Celtics Running Club, Glen Muller says they do weekly speed testing on Rondebosch Common. “We would always use a lead runner and a sweeper runner at the back to make sure that an eye would be kept on the slower runners,” he says.
Mr Muller says even a smaller group of women of two to three should be mindful of using the Rondebosch Common as muggers could still try to accost them.
He says non-runners can join their club if they feel that they don’t want to train or walk alone.
Warrant Officer Sisam warned the public using Rondebosch Common to be vigilant, to not walk or run alone, refrain from walking or running between the high brush areas and to report any suspicious activity to Rondebosch police at 021 685 6600.
