Cape Town - Five-week maintenance progress at one of Cape Town’s favourite tourist attractions is on schedule and operations are expected to resume at the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) by the end of August.
During a briefing on Wednesday, an update was given on the mandatory annual maintenance conducted at the cable cars.
“All cable car operations at the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC) were suspended at the end of July to allow for annual safety maintenance to be carried out. The five-week-long shutdown allows for the maintenance of the cableway’s upper and lower stations and the cabins. Some building and construction work is also taking place,” said Wahida Parker, managing director for TMACC.
TMACC said the process this year is extensive and involves various complex tasks undertaken by teams consisting of internal technical staff and specialist technicians from the equipment manufacturers.
The work required a complete shutdown as it is impossible to co-ordinate and execute this type of work while the service is operational.
Parker said industry safety standards required that a more comprehensive and all-encompassing shutdown be implemented this year, to allow for the required work to be done properly.
“The focus for this year is on the track-ropes which carry the majority of the weight of the cable cars, along with the brackets from which the cabins are suspended,” said Emile Streicher, executive manager of Technical at TMACC.
“Servicing is done according to a service schedule which is time, usage and condition-based. Many of the specified service intervals are more than six years and servicing tasks usually differ from year to year,” he added.
Parker said while the cable car service might not be operational at the moment, the mountain is still open to visitors.
“Hikers and rock-climbers can still make their own way to the top of the mountain and back down by foot. They can also grab a cup of coffee or something to eat at the lower station. Anyone who celebrates their birthday during the shutdown will not forfeit their free ride. They will be able to redeem the birthday ticket until the end of September but not thereafter.
“We take the safety of all visitors at the cableway seriously, and the maintenance shutdown reflects our commitment to ensure the best experience possible for all visitors. By consistently taking the necessary steps, we can continue to attract and safely move thousands of tourists to the top of the mountain.”
Cable car operations are due to resume on Sunday, August 28.
Follow TMACC social media channels for updates on the maintenance work, or visit www.tablemountain.net.
Cape Times