Table Mountain cableway hiker service now open

STATEMENT BY ALDERMAN JAMES VOS, MAYORAL COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND ASSET MANAGEMENT.

Since the reopening of all national parks and the closure of Lion’s Head, there has been a welcome influx of hikers to Table Mountain National Park. In response to this, the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) has opened a service, to provide a safe descent for hikers from its top station.

The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Opportunities and Asset Management, Alderman James Vos, welcomed this service, which will be available only on weekends.

‘Tourism is and will remain a key industry in our City and it is central to our economic recovery. Iconic attractions like Table Mountain and the Cable Car attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors to our beautiful City each year. Obviously, the global COVID-19 pandemic has seen travel and tourism closed. As we begin to reopen, we must do so in a manner that protects employees and visitors.

‘The City has made many submissions to the relevant national counterpart as well as President Cyril Ramaphosa to lobby for the unfettered reopening of the tourism and related sectors for leisure, on the strict condition that all health and safety protocols are in place,’ said Alderman Vos.

Wahida Parker, Managing Director at the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company, said: ‘The service for hikers will operate on Saturdays and Sundays only between 08:00 and 15:00. Tickets will only be available for purchase online or in the Wi-Fi lounge at the top station.’

‘In accordance with our strict COVID-19 health and safety protocols, we are only allowing a maximum of 26 people plus the cabin master per ride in the cable car. No person will be permitted to enter the cable car without a mask. To ensure the safety of hikers and our team, we will also sanitise the cable car after every ride.’

Details of TMACC’s strict COVID-19 health and safety protocols to protect the health safety of its visitors can be viewed on its website.

‘Together with the City of Cape Town’s official Destination Marketing Organisation, Cape Town Tourism, we have worked extensively on the tourism bounce back strategy to ensure that we breathe life back into the tourism industry and plot a sustainable and inclusive future for this vital and vibrant sector,’ said Alderman Vos.