Love our trails

29/05/2026

UPDATE..

Thank you to the journalists and media that reached our, took the time too meet and are willing to talk about real issues.

SANParks senior management met with me a week ago to discuss some of the concerns I have raised. For the first time in years, they were not defensive and it felt like they were genuinely concerned and wanting to improve the park but its clear that there are problem and I am very aware that things take long to happen or change in public government entity.

Some of the things we discussed include.

- TMNP Ops room, this is the current call centre. It is clear that it is not working to the required standard and SANParks senior management has given the approval for a solution - ether rebuild something that works or outsource, to ensure its a 24/7 call centre with correctly trained staff and resources to support visitors. This is a priority.

- TMNP Safety Huts. We all agreed that this has taken too long. Personally I believe its deliberate delay tactics by some TMNP management but there has been changes and Owen has taken charge of this and met with contractors to complete the project.

- K9, SANParks has taken steps to employ a K9 expert earlier this year to rebuild the TMNP K9 unit and apparently WatchDog project are happy and supportingnagain. This is great news and we will hopefully see more K9s on the mountains before the end of the year.

- technology. I have been assured that SANParks promised to invest in technology has been implemented. With an investment into a drone thats mostly used for finding fires and monitoring crime / poaching. Rangers have also been given body cameras and we should see them patrolling with this. And lastly, SANParks senior management have taken the rains of a camera project that has been in the pipeline for some time, and hopefully we will see it come to life before the end of the year.

- Trail mainternance has been prioritised and SANParks will be appointing a Trail specialist in the coming month.

- SANParks senior management are working on a document for Love our trails to be able to support TMNP with volunteer activities that are properly tracked and reported on, to ensure we work togetger to improve the park.

There is lots more but I am feeling hopeful and I have a follow up medting in a month.

Our goal is to work with SANParks to ensure this park is protected and sustainable for all to enjoy for generations to come.

Thank you to the Love our trails community for always supporting.

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UPDATED POST FOR CLARITY.
We love Table Mountain deeply. That is exactly why we can no longer stay silent.

For years, volunteers, rescue members, hikers, trail runners, conservation groups and community stakeholders have tried working directly with SANParks and TMNP to improve visitor safety, trail maintenance, rescue coordination and crime prevention on the mountain.

We have sent emails.
Attended meetings.
Submitted proposals.
Offered volunteers, funding, equipment and support.

Too often, those concerns have been ignored until they become public.

We now have evidence of deeply concerning operational failures, including delayed rescue responses, ignored safety concerns, deteriorating infrastructure and stakeholders being prevented from assisting with safety initiatives.

This is a real visitor safety concern. We also have evidence that TMNP Ops room only opperates from 07:30 to 15:30 while a large percent of crime, rescues and fires happen outside of those hours. In another incident, a tourist was reportedly left stranded in severe weather while rangers logged off duty.

This is not about attacking people.
This is about accountability, public safety and protecting one of South Africa’s most iconic natural spaces.

Table Mountain belongs to all of us, and the people who use it, protect it and visit it deserve better.

If any journalists or media platforms would like to investigate these concerns further, please contact Blake Dyason from Love Our Trails - [email protected]

We are prepared to share correspondence, records and evidence that has been emailed or sent to SANParks CEO and management in the interest of transparency and constructive change.

Please share this if you care about the future of Table Mountain.

25/05/2026

Some weekends stay with you long after the tents are packed away.

Keeping it Wild in the Cederberg was one of those weekends.

It has taken us nearly two weeks to try capture what this experience meant to us and how grateful we are to every single person who helped make it possible.

Thank you to the speakers, local community, farmers, Riel dancers, volunteers, brands, partners, and everyone who made the journey out to be part of something meaningful.

Our blog is finally live — and we’d love you to read it.

Just some of the amazing people and brands we want to thank: Dawie Burger Lizette Burger Driehoek Tourist Farm Sustainable Ceder CapeNature Justin Bonello Red Cederberg Cape Leopard Trust Cederberg Wines Cederberg Brewery Culture Lab Kunbucha, Travel Designer, South Land Coffee, Karoline Hanks Patrick Hanekom Blake Dyason

https://loveourtrails.com/the-weekend-we-built-something-bigger-than-ourselves-keeping-it-wild-in-cederberg-2026/

19/05/2026

For years, we have tried engaging directly with SANParks and TMNP management through meetings, emails, volunteering and collaborative efforts. Unfortunately, many of these communications have gone unanswered unless concerns are raised publicly through the media or online platforms.

In 2017, we began discussions with SANParks around the need for Visitor Safety Huts. After years of meetings, campaigning and volunteer involvement, senior SANParks managers committed R90 000 in 2024 towards the installation of Visitor Safety Huts at Lion’s Head and Platteklip Gorge, with completion targeted for Easter 2025.

We are now more than a year behind schedule. The Platteklip Gorge hut remains incomplete, and the Lion’s Head hut is standing on bricks and not safe for use.

We have repeatedly requested updates, progress reports and clarity around the progress and allocated budget, but have received little to no feedback.

Additional concerns that we and other stakeholders have attempted to engage SANParks and TMNP management on include:

• Promised investment in drones, cameras, technology and safety resources that were discussed in stakeholder meetings and mentioned publicly in radio interviews, but which have still not materialised.

• A response from the SANParks Ops Room on a public safety WhatsApp group stating that operating hours are between 07:30 and 15:30, and that incident details should simply be left for later follow-up. How is this acceptable for a National Park that has regular fires, crime and rescues that are not between said hours.

• Ongoing reports of damaged trails and infrastructure being ignored for extended periods, only for repairs to take place rapidly once issues gain attention on social media. We have numerous examples that raise serious concerns about the management and maintenance of TMNP infrastructure.

• A documented three-year email trail regarding a dangerous section of trail linked to multiple serious injuries and fatalities. Volunteers and organisations repeatedly offered funding and assistance to improve safety in the area, yet efforts were delayed or ignored for years. Only once the matter was escalated through legal channels and the media was action taken, with SANParks eventually asking the Honorary Rangers for assistance and a solution being implemented within weeks.

It is deeply concerning that meaningful engagement and action often appear to happen only once issues are raised publicly.

We remain committed to constructive to improving safety, conservation and visitor experiences within our national parks.

Unfortunately communicating directly to SANParks and TMNP does not work and we will be working with the media going forward to ensure accountability and transparency.

18/05/2026

UPDATED POST FOR CLARITY.
We love Table Mountain deeply. That is exactly why we can no longer stay silent.

For years, volunteers, rescue members, hikers, trail runners, conservation groups and community stakeholders have tried working directly with SANParks and TMNP to improve visitor safety, trail maintenance, rescue coordination and crime prevention on the mountain.

We have sent emails.
Attended meetings.
Submitted proposals.
Offered volunteers, funding, equipment and support.

Too often, those concerns have been ignored until they become public.

We now have evidence of deeply concerning operational failures, including delayed rescue responses, ignored safety concerns, deteriorating infrastructure and stakeholders being prevented from assisting with safety initiatives.

This is a real visitor safety concern. We also have evidence that TMNP Ops room only opperates from 07:30 to 15:30 while a large percent of crime, rescues and fires happen outside of those hours. In another incident, a tourist was reportedly left stranded in severe weather while rangers logged off duty.

This is not about attacking people.
This is about accountability, public safety and protecting one of South Africa’s most iconic natural spaces.

Table Mountain belongs to all of us, and the people who use it, protect it and visit it deserve better.

If any journalists or media platforms would like to investigate these concerns further, please contact Blake Dyason from Love Our Trails - [email protected]

We are prepared to share correspondence, records and evidence that has been emailed or sent to SANParks CEO and management in the interest of transparency and constructive change.

Please share this if you care about the future of Table Mountain.

11/05/2026

Please take note of trail closures.

⚠️ TABLE MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK CLOSURE UPDATE ⚠️

11 May 2026 | 10:30am

Due to the current inclement weather conditions affecting Cape Town and surrounding areas, certain sections and facilities within Table Mountain National Park may be temporarily closed for visitor safety.

🚫 Temporary Closures:
• Forest Link walkway - Boulders Penguin Colony
• Oudekraal Picnic Site
• Lion's Head Summit
• Signal Hill Precinct
• Deer Park Trails
• Newlands Picnic Site
• Cecilia Forest Trails
• Constantia Nek Trails

Our teams are currently responding to:
• Fallen trees and branches
• Flooding and water-related impacts
• Hazardous pathways and trail conditions
• Wildlife rescue and monitoring where required

Visitors are urged to avoid unnecessary travel and hiking within affected park areas and to exercise caution around rivers, streams, mountain paths, coastal sections and low-lying areas as a number of fallen trees have been reported.

Please adhere to all safety signage and instructions from park officials.

28/04/2026

🌿 Help Us Put Langkloof on the Map 🌿

Tucked away in the beautiful Cederberg is Langkloof, a small community with big heart and generations of people who have lived from the land and farmed rooibos with pride.

Now, together with Love Our Trails, Sustainable Ceder and Red Cederberg - Keurbosfontein, we’re building something special: a community-owned and community-managed tented camp that will welcome visitors to one of the most undiscovered parts of the Cederberg.

This is not charity. This is opportunity.
A chance to create jobs, grow tourism, celebrate local culture, and help a proud community share its story with the world.

If you love the Cederberg, this is your chance to help it grow in the right way.

Your donation, shares and support matters.

Becomes part of the story. Donate here: https://backabuddy.co.za/campaign/help-us-put-langkloof-on-the-map~3

A community-owned campsite in the heart of the Cederberg The Cederberg has a way of changing people. Maybe it’s the mountains, the silence, the r...

19/04/2026

Today we want to take a minute to celebrate one of the most committed and kind people in the comservation world.

Dawie Burger is the founder of but is always the first to help and support others.

Thank you for what you and the Sustainable Ceder team does for conservation and the people who call Cederberg home.

16/04/2026

Heart breaking research.

Rat poison is killing our beautiful Caracals. There has to be a better way to manage rodents.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18YdTNoaEi/

UCT researcher says secondary poisoning of the apex predator from eating contaminated prey threatens to unbalance the Cape Peninsula ecosystem

15/04/2026

We cant wait for the Keeping it wild in Cederberg weekend.

We have some amazing speakers and activities lined up.

Book your spot, there are only 40 spots left.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScYrqqy9BmfrAVDpurFsvUEbIK0O00OTl98N0KOEbErfL9Wsw/viewform

Driehoek Tourist Farm Sustainable Ceder Cape Leopard Trust CapeNature Cederberg Conservancy