Violent crime surges near Cape Town Airport, travellers warned

CAPE TOWN

Travellers using Cape Town International Airport are urged to stay vigilant after a surge in violent attacks on motorists near the airport and surrounding routes, authorities said.

Criminals have ambushed locals and tourists at intersections and robots, with attacks escalating to violence in multiple incidents (Authorities).

Hotspots include areas outside the airport precinct, especially along the N2 highway and Baden Powell Drive (Officials).

Freedom Front Plus MP Liezl van der Merwe raised concerns in Parliament about insufficient visible policing (Parliamentary records). Her views reflect growing public anxiety about worsening safety.

Police Minister Firoz Cachalia stated that while border police patrol inside the airport, outer areas fall under the Nyanga policing district. He confirmed increased patrols at identified hotspots by SAPS and City authorities (Cachalia statement).

Authorities recorded 42 criminal incidents near the airport between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 (Official statistics).

Recent cases include:

• A woman seriously injured when criminals threw concrete at her vehicle on the N2 (source not provided)
• An American tourist shot and robbed en route to Simon’s Town (source not provided)
• An elderly German couple ambushed by armed robbers on Baden Powell Drive (source not provided)

Local councillor Emre Uygun warned these attacks endanger lives and tourism. “This isn’t just a local issue – it’s damaging our city’s global reputation,” he stated (Uygun statement).

The airport crime spike reflects a national trend, with vehicle-related theft increasing countrywide. SAPS recorded 19,032 cases of “theft out of or from motor vehicle” in Q1 2025 – exceeding 210 daily (SAPS crime statistics).

Security experts advise motorists to follow the SMASH protocol:

• Stay alert at intersections
• Make use of protective window film
• Avoid visible valuables
• Safe driving to avoid being cornered
• Help by reporting suspicious activity (Tracker security)

Authorities confirmed patrols are being increased but urged travellers to remain cautious when using airport routes (Law enforcement advisory).