Spray-painted graffiti on Chain Ladder trail

What an eye sore

Its like that "modern rock art" cave on the Witsieshoek road or the names carved into the rock behind the Mushroom - why do people feel entitled to ruin nature just to get a kick from breaking rules.

We walked the trail to the Sphinx @ Monks Cowl reserve last week. Some sign early on the trial states 'No grafiti please'. We had a bit of a chuckle about it until we saw the names etc carved into the Sphinx itself....(as the trial passes below the Sphinx)

It beggars belief....

I also saw the graffiti - and upon my return to the car park I flipped back a few pages in the register to find that Lebohang did indeed sign the register, recording cell phone number 082-753-5955 and vehicle registration number DRM066FS. Lebo paid for three adults, one of whom I think it is safe to say is David.

Surely defacing the rock like this is not legal? Surely these criminals should be hunted and prosecuted with the same fervour the authorities displayed with regards to the Via Ferrata? Unless, of course:
• Lebohang got official permission to use the red spray paint, unlike the mountaineers who erected the Via Ferrata, or
• The defaced rock is on the wrong side of the border which takes it out of their official jurisdiction, unlike the Via Ferrata, or
• The motives of the authorities with regards to the Via Ferrata are highly questionable, or
• The motives of the authorities with regards to graffiti are highly questionable.

We've all seen how it only takes a little bit of graffiti to start a trend; I hope someone with authority steps in before there is any more.

Either that or some other unfortunate Lebo is about to be blamed for something done by his namesake...

Short of hauling in a sand blaster? Maybe painting over it with a colour thats close to the colour of the rocks, at least it would disguise it a bit. Otherwise it is in direct sunlight, so it should fade with time.

Painting it over is also what i was going to suggest. If someone has closet skills as a graffiti artist they could almost make it look natural, as per painted 'faux concrete rocks'.