Table Mountain fires cause manmade concerns: "SANParks needs to do their job"

CapeTalk's John Maytham interviews Andy Davies, Chairperson of Friends of Table Mountain.

Listen below:

The recent fires that broke out on Table Mountain over the weekend have now been contained, according to a statement from Table Mountain National Park released yesterday.

The fire, which started in Newlands Ravine and spread to the front face of Table Mountain, has been brought under control, including in areas that were previously inaccessible to firefighters.

By yesterday morning, both the Newlands Ravine and the surrounding areas, including the Redhill fire, had been suppressed.

However, these fires have raised concerns about whether they were caused by human activity.

JP Smith, the City of Cape Town's Head of Safety and Security, is calling for a forensic investigation into the cause of the fires.

Davies suggests that fires on the mountain are often started for various reasons, including religious ceremonies or by individuals camping overnight.

He points to hotspots like Newlands Forest, Muizenberg, Kalk Bay, and Peers Cave as areas particularly vulnerable to these incidents.

"We are aware that there are a significant amount of fires that are started by humans, whether it be arson or overnight camping on the mountain."

- Andy Davies, Chairperson – Friends of Table Mountain

He argues that the solution to preventing these manmade fires is straightforward: "SANParks needs to do their job."

According to Davies, this involves deploying rangers on weekends, when many of these activities take place, to prevent fires before they start.

While Davies emphasizes respect for cultural and religious practices, he is firm in his stance that the current situation is "completely unacceptable."

"Head office SANParks is not providing the local manager with sufficient resources."

- Andy Davies, Chairperson – Friends of Table Mountain

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.