16/06/2005: " Table
Mountain is a South African icon – recognised
around the world as the symbol of our tourism
success, our unique biodiversity, and the
natural splendour that awaits any traveller
to our shores. Today it gains another important
asset – the launch of the People's Trail –
and with it the further opening of the mountain
to young South Africans from all communities."
It was with these words that Marthinus van
Schalkwyk, Minister of Environmental Affairs
and Tourism, officially launched the first
of the four new Hoerikwaggo hiking trails
in the Table Mountain National Park (TMNP)
on Thursday.
Joined on the hike by a group of underprivileged
Cape youth, the Minister spoke about the significance
of launching the trail on National Youth Day:
" This is the first time that Table Mountain
National Park has offered overnight accommodation
on the mountain, and it is fitting that the
first beneficiaries of this incredible experience
are the young people of Cape Town. Appreciation
for the environment, a love of the outdoors,
and a sense of pride and ownership of our
natural treasures cannot be learned from books
alone – it must be experienced. Outreach programmes
like this new hike and the environmental experience
programmes offered in parks across the country,are
the keys to building the conservation leaders
of our future."
The new trail forms part of the long-term
plan to upgrade and reinvigorate 350km of
trails within the TMNP to help cater for the
4,5 million annual visitors. Lasting two days
and one night the People's Trail begins at
Constantia Nek, winds up Disa Gorge (to date
a rare privilege) to the Woodhead Dam
where hikers will then overnight. The next
morning the group will descend either via
Platteklip Gorge or Kasteel's Poort. The new
trail will be administered by a consortium
consisting of TMNP, Pride of Table Mountain,
the Hikers Network, and the Schools Environmental
Education Programme (SEEP). To ensure the
greatest levels of accessibility for youth
from formerly disadvantaged communities,the
overnight trail will be offered for the price
of only R30 per person.
TMNP Park Manager, Brett Myrdal, added that:
"It is fitting that on Youth Day we launch
the People's Trail, honouring those who gave
their lives so that all South Africans may
have the freedom to experience the spirit
of Table Mountain and hike in the footsteps
of our ancestors who named it 'Hoerikwaggo'
- the Sea Mountain . "
Minister Van Schalkwyk also used the opportunity
to launch the new Cape Town Wild Card – presenting
the first card to Councillor Nomsa Mlanjeni,
Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Health,
Amenities and Sport. "Based on the very
successful SANParks Wildcard, we have decided
to offer the families of Cape Town an affordable
and innovative new way of accessing the Table
Mountain National Park ," said the Minister.
The card is available for a flat fee of R45
and entitles the owner to 12 entries to any
of Table Mountain National Park 's pay points
for a year. This may be used as a family or
individual card as it is based on a 12 credit
system.SANParks is negotiating with public
transport organizations in order to arrange
for discounted weekend rates to further facilitate
ease of access to Cape Town 's National Park.
Other tourist attractions such as the Two
Ocean 's Aquarium have also come on board
with discounts.
The Minister also addressed the progress
of other initiatives to bring communities
and youth into South Africa's parks, and to
use the national parks to drive growth and
employment in all provinces: "Our R22
million Kids in Parks joint venture between
SANParks, the Department of Education, DEAT
and Pick 'n Pay will bring 10000 young South
Africans and 300 teachers from 150 schools,
over the next three years, into 15 National
Parks across South Africa. Through other initiatives
focused on empowering the youth we have also
created 2170 job opportunities for young South
Africans in the last financial year – which
represents more than 24% of the job opportunities
created by our Department.We are showing that
our environmental success is closely linked
to community upliftment, and as we celebrate
Youth Day today we are moving to open all
South African parks to all South Africans,
of all ages."
