Responsible Tourism and CSI Projects

Treading lightly and protecting the environment while giving access to all

Responsible Tourism and CSI Projects

The Cableway focuses on the three pillars of responsible tourism – environmental, social and economic responsibility – to maximise benefits and minimise costs.

The Cableway upholds its social responsibility through a number of programmes. Check out our CSI page to read about the concession tickets that we offer to organisations and communities in need, as well as our ever-popular Class in the Clouds programme for schools.

In addition, we have Siyafundisa, the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company’s Academy of Learning. Part of our people brand policy is that the company is dedicated to assisting employees reach their full potential by providing opportunities to develop skills.

We’ve been recognised for our responsible tourism practices through the Imvelo Awards and our Diamond classification with the Heritage Environmental Rating Programme, among other accolades. In 2016, the Cableway announced that it was carbon neutral. Learn more about it by watching the video or having a look at the infographic below or read more about it here.

Environmental responsibility

We adhere to an environmental policy in order to protect the unique environment in which we operate. Resource management is also very important to us.

Water management

We’ve installed recycling toilets, which use less water, and waterless urinals
All toilets are fitted with a dual-flush mechanism
There are sensor-operated and push-button taps throughout our ablution facilities
We’ve reduced the amount of grey water generated by a massive 1-million litres, by moving the production kitchen to the Lower Cable Station and using compostable cups, lids, cutlery and straws in our food and beverage facilities
We transport waste water and sewage to the Lower Cable Station, using our cable cars
Meters have been installed to monitor our water usage.
We have installed a borehole at the Lower Station. This water is used to flush visitor and staff toilets, watering of plants, and washing of outside areas.

Energy management

The Cableway has implemented the following electricity-saving measures:

Fitting timers and blankets on all essential geysers

Switching off all non-essential geysers

Using energy-saving and LED lights in all our light fittings

Fitting timers to all outside lighting circuits

Regulating airconditioners in our offices to between 18°C and 21°C, to save energy while still providing comfortable working conditions

In addition to this, the energy generated by the descent of our cable cars sees 1 500kWh a month being fed back into the electricity grid.

Waste management

Over the past year, we’ve reduced waste. We recycled 80% of our waste and 20% of our waste was sent to landfills.

Measures include:

Appointing a full-time, in-house recycler to ensure that the maximum possible amount of recyclable waste is removed from the general waste stream

Increasing the number of recycling bins so that sorting of waste can take place at source

Installing soda fountains and beer on tap in the Table Mountain Café (this has resulted in a drastic reduction in the use of glass, soft drink cans and plastic bottles. All soft drinks from the soda fountain and the beer on tap are sold in recyclable PLA cups)

All hazardous waste (e.g. printer cartridges, fluorescent lights, medical waste, batteries, etc.) is removed by specialist waste-removal companies

Food/organic waste from outlets and kitchens are collected for composting.

Work within a World Heritage Site and Table Mountain National Park, the Cableway is fully committed to balancing high volumes of visitors (1 million per year) with the need to protect the unique floristic environment within which it operates.

The Cableway takes its role as a custodian of Table Mountain very seriously. We aim to make positive contributions to conserve natural and cultural heritage, and minimise environmental and social impacts.

Social responsibility

Siyafundisa was established to address the following business needs:

  • Having formally skilled employees at staff level
  • Having a formal learning pipeline for seasonal staff, ensuring longer employment relationships and skilled staff in peak-season periods
  • Contributing to corporate social investment/future employability of learners
  • Supporting a staffing philosophy that involves employing more multi-skilled stewards
  • Supporting the company's people brand policy
  • Contributing to our Equity Plan and the Skills Development Act

We are currently running an NQF Level 4 learnership programme called “Wholesale and Retail Operations”, which aims to equip learners with a general understanding of the business environment, stock counts and sales performance, supervision and leadership at various levels, customer service standards, team motivation, management functions and Primary Labour Legislation

Economic responsibility

The Cableway supports local communities and suppliers, wherever possible, and aims to grow and develop the relationship with suppliers to produce successful, long-term and mutually beneficial relationships.

Some of the suppliers with which the Cableway has worked include Rootz Creations, Recycled in Africa and Yvettie Munava. The Cableway is also recognised as a Level One B-BBEE Contributor, with a procurement recognition level of 100%.

Visitor and employee safety

The Cableway's health and safety policy refers to and commits to the safety and health of our visitors & employees. Senior Management has committed to doing everything possible to prevent injuries and to maintain a safe and healthy environment.

CSI projects

The Cableway aims to provide access to Table Mountain to all South Africans. Requests for complimentary and concession tickets are considered from registered NGOs, NPOs and community organisations.

More than 3.7-million people live in Cape Town, surrounded by some of the world’s most beautiful mountains and scenery. But many of the city’s residents have not had one of the greatest experiences in the world: a trip up Table Mountain, one of the world’s New7Wonders of Nature, in the cable car.

Our goal is to provide access to the mountain to as many underprivileged communities as possible. Every year thousands of people are treated to a trip in the cable car, compliments of the Cableway’s corporate social investment (CSI) programme, one of the key pillars of responsible tourism.

We encourage registered NGOs, NPOs and community organisations to apply for complimentary and concession tickets for the Cableway. Due to high visitor numbers, CSI tickets are not issued between December and January, nor over the Easter period.

Please include the following information on the application:

  • An official letterhead
  • The proposed date of your visit
  • How many tickets will be required
  • For BEE certificate purposes, we require the designation group (i.e. black, coloured, Indian or white) for all CSI tickets we issue

Email your application to csi@tablemountain.net