Memorial patrol planned for 10-year anniversary of Franziska Blöchliger’s murder
· The South African
Capetonians will gather next month to mark 10 years since the murder of 16-year-old Franziska Blöchliger in Lower Tokai – a tragedy that deeply affected the community and reshaped conversations around safety in public spaces.
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Blöchliger was found raped and murdered on 7 March 2016 in the fynbos near the edge of the plantation.
The crime sparked widespread grief and outrage, and intensified calls for improved safety for women and girls in public green spaces.
Memorial patrol
To commemorate the 10th anniversary, community advocacy group Parkscape, together with partners and residents, will host a memorial patrol on Saturday, 7 March 2026.
The walk will begin at 09:00 at the Ribbon Gate in Lower Tokai.
Organisers will distribute ribbons before participants proceed to the site where Franziska’s cross stands – marking the location where she was killed.
The group will then walk the perimeter of Lower Tokai before returning through the forest to the starting point.
‘Something bad had happened’
In a statement reflecting on the day of the murder, organisers recalled arriving at the forest to find emergency vehicles lining the corner of Dennendal West Avenue and Orpen Road.
“We knew something bad had happened, but until a member of the Kirstenhof Crime Watch walked towards us mouthing the word ‘dead’, we had no idea of the severity of the incident,” the statement read.
In the aftermath of the killing, members of Kirstenhof Crime Watch and local residents made a decision to reclaim the forest by walking through it together in solidarity.
That same day also marked the formation of Parkscape, an advocacy organisation focused on the future of urban spaces bordering Table Mountain National Park.
‘Brutal death’
Parkscape says its vision remains to create safe, biodiverse and shaded urban parks in the buffer zones of Table Mountain National Park, with Lower Tokai serving as a model.
“As we commemorate the 10th anniversary of Franziska’s brutal death, we continue to work to create a safe, shaded urban sanctuary where every girl and woman can walk, run, ride and play safely,” organisers said.
Residents are invited to attend the commemorative patrol. Participants are encouraged to wear a safety patrol bib or green bib if they have one.
Event details:
- Date: Saturday, 7 March 2026
- Time: 09:00
- Meeting point: Ribbon Gate, Lower Tokai