Events

Tokai and Silvermine to remain closed to the public

By Press Office · 762 comments

In the interest of public safety, as well as for the protection of the environmental integrity of the Silvermine and Tokai sections of Table Mountain National Park (TMNP), park management decided that these two areas will remain closed to the public until further notice.

TMNP management understands that users are eager to access these areas, however they remain very sensitive and unsafe, and public use of these areas are off limits due to:

  • Smouldering and burning vegetation still needs to be extinguished and flare ups will occur as stumps and roots burn.
  • Standing trees that have been burnt or damaged by the fire are extremely dangerous as they continue to come down in the area.
  • Recently burnt veld (as well as adjacent areas) is hazardous as the fire will have burnt roots underground and foot falls may cause serious injuries.
  • Unstable slopes may result in rock falls
  • Winds and rain may exacerbate the danger with respect to falling trees, branches, rock falls and mudslides
  • Hazardous clear-felling operations of the burnt plantation trees are underway by Cape Pine
  • Disturbance to surviving animals
  • Burnt areas are sensitive as windblown seeds can be damaged and the first emerging plants can be killed by accidental trampling
  • Disturbance to sensitive erodible soils

The closure of the burnt areas will be continually assessed and reopening will only be considered once all safety and environmental issues have been addressed. For some areas this may take between six to twenty four months.

TMNP management and staff would like to assure the public that their focus is to secure the areas for the public’s safety and to as quickly as possible rehabilitate the affected sites for future use.

Please assist us by being patient and please remain out of all burnt areas while mother nature heals herself.

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Comments

Eddy Gordo
Eddy Gordo

May 4, 2015, 7:00 PM

What I would like to know is when are they gonna host a meeting with the users of the park. TMNP are rather quick to have a meeting with the neighbors provide constructive feedback etc but have yet to come to the party with their money spinners

i24
i24

May 4, 2015, 9:08 PM

Just a reminder. If you are wondering what you can do to further the cause of cycling in Tokai. Written comments on the new Draft Management Plan for Table Mountain National Park have to be submitted by Saturday 9 May.

 

For details see this thread:

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/148925-2015-tmnp-park-planning-info-session/

Shebeen
Shebeen

May 4, 2015, 9:21 PM

Definitely don't send the TNT guy to defuse any explosive situations.....

DJR
DJR

May 5, 2015, 8:20 AM

Just a reminder. If you are wondering what you can do to further the cause of cycling in Tokai. Written comments on the new Draft Management Plan for Table Mountain National Park have to be submitted by Saturday 9 May.

 

For details see this thread:

 

https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/148925-2015-tmnp-park-planning-info-session/

YES people, do it ! :)

dirtypot
dirtypot

May 5, 2015, 11:49 AM

Aah man...  I was looking forward to the meeting to get more clarity from parks...

Flowta
Flowta

May 5, 2015, 11:52 AM

Aah man...  I was looking forward to the meeting to get more clarity from parks...

 

That is all anyone wants.

 

Maybe some Tokai residents will go and then report back

Flowta
Flowta

May 5, 2015, 11:54 AM

And once again T&T take a large caliber handgun, aim it directly at one of their own feet, and pull the trigger.

I would love to be a fly on the wall when they meet up with parks and try and get permission to run through there when it reopens. That will be an interesting meeting.

 

I imagine a lot of TnT guys live in Tokai, so may be going anyway

marko35s
marko35s

May 5, 2015, 11:55 AM

I imagine a lot of TnT guys live in Tokai, so may be going anyway

Probably the case
Flowta
Flowta

May 5, 2015, 11:55 AM

I imagine a lot of TnT guys live in Tokai, so may be going anyway

 

Maybe they'll bring some of this

http://d77r3ym80c2os.cloudfront.net/HTCforums280_TNT.png

Red Zone
Red Zone

May 5, 2015, 11:55 AM

That is all anyone wants.

 

Maybe some Tokai residents will go and then report back

Do you think they are going to be asking for a rates account at the door? just pitch up they cant kick you out

Red Zone
Red Zone

May 5, 2015, 12:03 PM

Still can't get over this crap attitude.. and to still accentuate the last line in red shows TnT's intensions.. Looks very much like he wants the riders to do his bidding. 

 

Anyway, unless you are part o the ZAPO assoc, or an invited TRA member, the meeting is not open to you to derail.. See TnT FB page for update from the ZAPO board. 

 

(Edit: Sorry Dave, speaking generally not meaning you personally.)

I don't get your reference to a bad attitude and how do you draw the conclusion that he wants the riders to go his bidding. Anyone who isn't unhappy about the way the closure of the mountain has been handled is too far up SANParks' behind to see the light.

popcorn_skollie
popcorn_skollie

May 5, 2015, 12:10 PM

I dreamed Tokai opened a few nights ago. There were new trails and the old ones were changed a bit. There were all these fire safety signs and stuff up. Large wooden structures. Including old roman style war catapults and a ferris wheel up where the switchbacks trail is and you could somehow see it from the parking.

It was all quite festive.

marko35s
marko35s

May 5, 2015, 12:24 PM

I don't get your reference to a bad attitude and how do you draw the conclusion that he wants the riders to go his bidding. Anyone who isn't unhappy about the way the closure of the mountain has been handled is too far up SANParks' behind to see the light.

Did you struggle reading it then?

He advocates hijacking somebody else's meeting, how would you feel if that was done to you?

Oh and possibly the person with his "head too far up SANParks behind" is working sensibly towards resolving the issues up there rather than spending his time on a forum stamping his feet like an impatient child.

(Deon)
(Deon)

May 5, 2015, 12:56 PM

I don't get your reference to a bad attitude and how do you draw the conclusion that he wants the riders to go his bidding. Anyone who isn't unhappy about the way the closure of the mountain has been handled is too far up SANParks' behind to see the light.

It was firstly not intended to provide a voice for unhappy people but rather provide info on how the winter rains and possible landslides could affect the residents living on the border of the park. The shop found a way to turn it into a channel for expressing disdain for the closure.

 

You do recall Trail and Tar, specifically Noel, was found ignoring the advice of the Park management and the informal agreement with TokaiMTB to keep running groups of 20+ runners off the mountain bike specific singletrack in Tokai? Well, the connection is to take an invitation welcoming interested people to a talk about the need for closure, plans to rehab and threats to residents and turn it into a campaign in a show of force to call on all users to "voice your opinion about how badly this whole thing has been handled." The property owners assoc got wind of this call and promptly retracted the open invitation. That says to me that they were not intending the talk to be steered in the direction the local business was willing it. i.e. dissatisfaction. It's really simple, head too far up arse or not simple. 

Headshot
Headshot

May 5, 2015, 1:00 PM

As residents of Tokai some of the T nT  peeps have actually been invited to the meeting. His call to attend has a lot to do with the perceived poor handling of the closure by TMNP. Thats the reality and the perception. Why does anyone need to be protective of TMNP - they can look after themselves? 

 

TMNP should call a meeting to discuss the issues people have and take the crit on the chin and be able to justify why Tokai is still totally closed while at Jonkers we have a very clever balance between the public's interest, business in the form of the same Cape Pine, and nature conservation. Hell, they are already rebuilding trails at Jonkers.

 

My 2c and my personal opinion :-)

Headshot
Headshot

May 5, 2015, 1:09 PM

It was firstly not intended to provide a voice for unhappy people but rather provide info on how the winter rains and possible landslides could affect the residents living on the border of the park. The shop found a way to turn it into a channel for expressing disdain for the closure.

 

You do recall Trail and Tar, specifically Noel, was found ignoring the advice of the Park management and the informal agreement with TokaiMTB to keep running groups of 20+ runners off the mountain bike specific singletrack in Tokai? Well, the connection is to take an invitation welcoming interested people to a talk about the need for closure, plans to rehab and threats to residents and turn it into a campaign in a show of force to call on all users to "voice your opinion about how badly this whole thing has been handled." The property owners assoc got wind of this call and promptly retracted the open invitation. That says to me that they were not intending the talk to be steered in the direction the local business was willing it. i.e. dissatisfaction. It's really simple, head too far up arse or not simple. 

That may be correct but so what - TMNP needs to know people are unhappy with their management approach which is heavy handed and often rather thinly justified in logic and science. 

 

My 2c and personal opinion once again:-)

(Deon)
(Deon)

May 5, 2015, 1:10 PM

As residents of Tokai some of the T nT  peeps have actually been invited to the meeting. His call to attend has a lot to do with the perceived poor handling of the closure by TMNP. Thats the reality and the perception. Why does anyone need to be protective of TMNP - they can look after themselves? 

 

TMNP should call a meeting to discuss the issues people have and take the crit on the chin and be able to justify why Tokai is still totally closed while at Jonkers we have a very clever balance between the public's interest, business in the form of the same Cape Pine, and nature conservation. Hell, they are already rebuilding trails at Jonkers.

 

My 2c and my personal opinion :-)

I agree.

(Deon)
(Deon)

May 5, 2015, 1:14 PM

That may be correct but so what - TMNP needs to know people are unhappy with their management approach which is heavy handed and often rather thinly justified in logic and science. 

 

My 2c and personal opinion once again:-)

Did Table Mountain National Park retract the open invite? I see where you are going but I think what you are saying is a separate issue. 

dirtypot
dirtypot

May 5, 2015, 1:29 PM

Do you think they are going to be asking for a rates account at the door? just pitch up they cant kick you out

 

They will when they see my car...  :ph34r:

Shebeen
Shebeen

May 5, 2015, 1:36 PM

so there's a nice little thread going on TnT Fb page.

 

Hi everyone. A reminder about the talk by SANPARKS management about the future usage of Tokai Forest this coming TUESDAY 5th MAY at 19:30pm at THE RANGE, Tokai.

PLEASE folks, if the closure of the mountain has effected you in anyway, I urge you to make the effort to attend, and voice your displeasure to the folks who have the power to make the changes.

This affects us all, Hikers, dog walkers, horse riders, runners and cyclists alike...... so lets show the authorities that we want our mountain back!!

Please share with any and all of your friends who would have a vested interest!

 

With regards to the SANPARKS meeting tomorrow.....please note that this meeting was organized by the Zwaanswyk rate payers organization (ZAPO) and is for residents only.
 
Please note that the meeting tomorrow has been organised and paid for by Zwaanswyk Property Owners Organisation and is intended for Zwaanswyk members and invited members of the TRA only. It is not an open meeting. There will be checks at the door to check membership. On behalf of ZAPO board.
 
 Hi xxxxxxx as per a media release dated 13/04/2015 on the Community Matters forum, it was clearly stated that the ZAPO would like to extend an invitation to Tokai residents to attend the talk at the Range by Gavin Bell. Please confirm if that has since changed, and if you speak on behalf of ZAPO?
 
he meeting tonight has been organised by ZAPO for the Zwaanswyk residents. The costs of the meeting have been paid for by ZAPO. As a courtesy an invitation was sent out to the Tokai Ratepayers Association advising them to inform their members of the meeting. It is a meeting that we have organised to hear what the rehabilitation plans are for Tokai. It is not the forum for pressure groups from Trail and Tar etc. to come and "voice their displeasure" . I am sure you can organise your own meeting with SANparks if this is what you aim to do. Thanks. Lyndi du Plessis, Chair ZAPO.

 

Thanks xxxxx, appreciate the reply. The reason for the post was to encourage the local residents to attend the meeting to be able to hear first hand what the future plans for the mountain are. I receive countless requests on a daily basis asking for updates from local users of the mountain, and have always stated that we should give SANPARKS time to asses the damage and report back. Unfortunately no feedback has been forthcoming so I was hoping that this meeting would shed some light on the matter. I certainly had no intention of disrupting any meeting, and as a local business owner, don' t feel the need to organize our own meeting, and was under the impression that the more people who attend the meeting, the better informed everyone would be?

Capricorn
Capricorn

May 5, 2015, 1:46 PM

pressure group.*like* . seems other ppl have also detected the 'bad attitude'.

marko35s
marko35s

May 5, 2015, 2:02 PM

So in other words the people that actually organized the meeting are not too chuffed with the attempt to hijack it.

This has nothing to do with what any of us think about SANParks and everything to do with basic courtesy and manners.

If TnT, or any other group, really believe they need a meeting with parks they need to get off their arses and set it up, not try and leech from another's initiative and in the process ruin it for the group that set it up.

popcorn_skollie
popcorn_skollie

May 5, 2015, 2:06 PM

http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/57234317.jpg

Flowta
Flowta

May 5, 2015, 2:06 PM

 

 

http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/57234317.jpg

 

LOL!!!

popcorn_skollie
popcorn_skollie

May 5, 2015, 2:15 PM

So in other words the people that actually organized the meeting are not too chuffed with the attempt to hijack it.

This has nothing to do with what any of us think about SANParks and everything to do with basic courtesy and manners.

If TnT, or any other group, really believe they need a meeting with parks they need to get off their arses and set it up, not try and leech from another's initiative and in the process ruin it for the group that set it up.

I have to agree. Though I'm sure it wasn't intentional TnT's post implies that public attendance is encouraged. Her response may be somewhat cattish. But she has a point.

Have your own meeting. 

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