BUFFALO City Metro’s outdated website encourages visitors to explore crime hotspots and non-existent tourism attractions.
The website’s “Attractions and Activities” page for visitors encourages tourists to visit notorious crime spot Bat’s Cave, as well as the long-closed Lock Street Gaol shopping centre.
BCM spokesman Thandy Matebese said the metro was working on updating the website.
“We are redesigning the BCM tourism website and the frame has been developed. We are targeting to launch it soon,” he said.
According to the metro’s capital budget expenditure report for September 2012, the metro has put aside R500000 for the development of the website and other web tools. In the report, BCM states that the project will not go out to tender “as it will be done in-house”.
Eastern Beach and Bat’s Cave are infamous for recent violent attacks on visitors, with Marikana inquiry lawyer Dali Mpofu robbed and stabbed in April, and the trial of two men who robbed and raped two Swedish tourists at knife-point in January 2012 now nearing its end.
This is how BCM describes the notorious crime hotspot: “Eastern Beach: this is the main long beach fronting the Esplanade. In its high dunes, the Bat’s Cave area can be explored.”
The description does not include a warning of the high crime rate or danger of exploring that area.
The Swedish tourists said a warning not to go to that area of coastline would have made all the difference.
They had brochures of where to stay and places to visit in East London but had no idea some areas would be so dangerous, especially in broad daylight.
The BCM website also includes Water World Fun Park as a destination to visit, despite it being near Leaches Bay, which is also known for violent attacks against beachgoers.
BCM even blamed the closure of what was once a favourite East London holiday spot on the high levels of crime.
Crime Spotter Buffalo City has also labelled the area as the most dangerous place to visit.
BCM’s Lock Street Gaol shopping complex was closed in May 2010 and converted to student accommodation in January 2011.
The 130-year-old landmark is famous for being South Africa’s first prison for women and once housed Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Daisy de Melker, a Grahamstown- born nurse who poisoned two husbands and a son . —
BCM tells tourists to visit crime hotspots
The website’s “Attractions and Activities” page for visitors encourages tourists to visit notorious crime spot Bat’s Cave, as well as the long-closed Lock Street Gaol shopping centre.
BCM spokesman Thandy Matebese said the metro was working on updating the website.
“We are redesigning the BCM tourism website and the frame has been developed. We are targeting to launch it soon,” he said.
According to the metro’s capital budget expenditure report for September 2012, the metro has put aside R500000 for the development of the website and other web tools. In the report, BCM states that the project will not go out to tender “as it will be done in-house”.
Eastern Beach and Bat’s Cave are infamous for recent violent attacks on visitors, with Marikana inquiry lawyer Dali Mpofu robbed and stabbed in April, and the trial of two men who robbed and raped two Swedish tourists at knife-point in January 2012 now nearing its end.
This is how BCM describes the notorious crime hotspot: “Eastern Beach: this is the main long beach fronting the Esplanade. In its high dunes, the Bat’s Cave area can be explored.”
The description does not include a warning of the high crime rate or danger of exploring that area.
The Swedish tourists said a warning not to go to that area of coastline would have made all the difference.
They had brochures of where to stay and places to visit in East London but had no idea some areas would be so dangerous, especially in broad daylight.
The BCM website also includes Water World Fun Park as a destination to visit, despite it being near Leaches Bay, which is also known for violent attacks against beachgoers.
BCM even blamed the closure of what was once a favourite East London holiday spot on the high levels of crime.
Crime Spotter Buffalo City has also labelled the area as the most dangerous place to visit.
BCM’s Lock Street Gaol shopping complex was closed in May 2010 and converted to student accommodation in January 2011.
The 130-year-old landmark is famous for being South Africa’s first prison for women and once housed Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Daisy de Melker, a Grahamstown- born nurse who poisoned two husbands and a son . —
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