The legs are ready. The cause is clear. What’s missing is the money.
With five days until the 2026 Cableway Charity Challenge, organisers are calling on corporate entities, schools, and individuals to sponsor the climbers who will spend Saturday 9 May ascending Table Mountain’s Platteklip Gorge as many times as their bodies will allow, all in aid of four South African charities.
“With five days to go, we have already registered more than 140 climbers ready to spend Saturday 9 May taking on Platteklip Gorge as many times as their legs will carry them,” says Wahida Parker, managing director of Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. “We’re asking South Africans to climb with them, in spirit and in sponsorship.”
Last year, 199 participants, including 19 corporate teams and 10 school teams, completed 600 laps and raised almost R1.2 million for four beneficiaries. This year’s challenge is to push past that total.
“Our climbers are doing the hard part,” says Parker. “We’re asking corporate entities, schools and individuals to do the easier part, back them with a pledge, and help us push past last year’s total.”
This year’s four charities represent some of the most essential, least celebrated work being done in South Africa:
South African National Parks Honorary Rangers, conservation education across the country’s national parks.
Volunteer Wildfire Services, the country’s largest volunteer firefighting force, protecting communities and ecosystems from devastating fires.
Wilderness Search and Rescue, providing free wilderness rescue services, countrywide.
Ubuntu Football Academy, running a six year mentorship programme for young footballers from vulnerable communities.
“Last year the Cableway Charity Challenge raised nearly R1.2 million for four beneficiaries: an early childhood development programme, the volunteers who fight our wildfires, rescue people lost in our wilderness and mentor young footballers from vulnerable communities.” – Wahida Parker, Managing Director, Table Mountain Aerial Cableway
The event is organised by Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, alongside Anton and Brigitte de Waal, who founded the challenge in 2009, and the JDI Foundation, a collective of volunteer groups that pool funds, time, resources, and skills.
The mountain will do what it always does. The question is whether South Africa will show up for it.
To sponsor a climber, visit www.charitychallenge.co.za