Car guard helps women escape muggers

A routine early morning walk on Muizenberg Beach turned into a frightening ordeal for a group of six women when they were confronted by two muggers on Friday October 11.

But thanks to Kante Iluta, a car guard at the Anglican Church in Kalk Bay who has joined the group on their strolls for years, the women escaped unharmed.

“Kante’s actions were nothing short of heroic. We were accosted by two men who appeared out of the dunes, clearly high on tik and one armed with a knife. Kante stepped between them and us, and with authority and calmness, he managed to de-escalate the situation,” said one of the walkers, Jean Viljoen.

The would-be robbers became increasingly agitated as Mr Iluta calmly talked them down, instructing the walkers to “keep walking.”

“Kante remained completely calm, and his authoritative voice kept the situation under control,” Ms Viljoen said.

“He told the men to stay away and just kept us moving forward. He handled the situation in an exemplary way. There was no shouting or swearing - he just stayed calm and kept telling us to walk, not to get involved.”

At one point, one of the men pulled out a knife and demanded a bag from one of the walkers. She refused, and after a tense few minutes, the two men fled back into the dunes empty-handed.

Ms Viljoen said the group, which has been walking on Muizenberg Beach for over 20 years, had never faced anything like that before.

“We’re all really shaken. It was terrifying, but Kante saved us from what could have been a much worse situation.”

Mr Iluta, who has been walking with the group for about five years, was originally hired as a trail guide.

“We saw a notice offering his services as a trail-running guide in Kalk Bay and invited him to join our walks,” Ms Viljoen recalled. “Since then, he’s been a regular with us, always a calming and friendly presence.”

Mr Iluta told the Echo he had no intention of letting anything bad happen to the women.

“I was prepared to do anything to protect them. It’s not nice that they have to feel unsafe being out in nature.”

According to Muizenberg police spokesman Captain Stephen Knapp, there has been a slight increase in incidents along the beachfront, with a more concerning rise in street robberies across the precinct.

Last month, the police arrested 17 people for carrying dangerous weapons without a valid explanation, he said.

“This is an issue we are actively addressing. We are deploying resources based on our crime-pattern analysis and focusing on individuals found in possession of dangerous weapons, such as knives, who cannot explain their possession,” he said.

“We urge the community to prioritise their safety by walking in groups and avoiding situations that could put them in danger.”

Despite the close call, the women plan to continue their Friday walks but with added precautions.

“I’ve bought some heavy-duty mace spray, and I’ve suggested that everyone in the group do the same,” Ms Viljoen said. “We might not walk as far as we usually do, but we’ll still be out there.”

She added that they were grateful to have Mr Iluta by their side.

“We’re incredibly lucky to have him as our friend and co-walker. Without him, things could have ended very differently,” Ms Viljoen said.