Cape Town’s 2024 Cableway Charity Challenge: A Community Initiative

3 mins read
cableway charity challenge

The Cableway Charity Challenge in Cape Town is a massive hiking event that encourages individuals, corporate entities, and school groups to climb Platteklip Gorge and gather funds for various local causes. The challenging yet inclusive event embodies the unifying spirit of adventure and offers stunning views of Cape Town. Participants amass funds through endorsements and the event has raised nearly R15 million for 18 different groups since its inception. Even if the climb appears too overwhelming, there is still an opportunity to contribute by making pledges in favor of the challenge.

What is the Cableway Charity Challenge in Cape Town?

The Cableway Charity Challenge is a massive hiking event that takes place annually in Cape Town. It encourages individuals, corporate entities, and school groups to climb Platteklip Gorge and gather funds for several deserving causes. The event is inclusive and embodies the unifying spirit of adventure. The funds raised from the challenge are allocated to various praiseworthy initiatives that benefit the Cape Town community.

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A Grand Outdoor Fundraiser

The much-awaited outdoor fundraising spectacle, the 2024 Cableway Charity Challenge is coming back to Cape Town this Saturday, April 20th. Now celebrating its 15th anniversary, this massive hiking event is a staple in the busy itinerary of Table Mountain. The event encourages individuals, corporate entities, and school groups to push their limits against the stunning backdrop of Platteklip Gorge. From sunrise to sunset, participants tackle the strenuous climb, not for their own accolades, but to gather funds for several deserving causes.

An Inclusive and Demanding Event

The Cableway Charity Challenge is a demanding event, yet it presents an inclusive atmosphere. This event embodies the unifying spirit of adventure, welcoming all outdoor aficionados – from record-breaking elite runners to casual hikers who may only scale Platteklip Gorge once. Though the winding stone steps and sparse shade may be intimidating, the rewards are beyond measure. The awe-inspiring view from the summit is worth every bit of exertion, as is the realization that your arduous climb is propelling positive transformation for local heroes.

To make the ordeal more enticing, participants are treated to a complimentary cable-car descent after every climb. This provides much-needed respite between climbs and a chance to bask in the unrivaled vistas of Cape Town – a city fondly referred to as the ‘Mother City.’ With this in mind, the challenge of the climb appears less intimidating, right?

Impact on the Community

The Cableway Charity Challenge is not just an event; it’s a social congregation that deeply impacts the community. Participants amass funds through endorsements on the Cableway Charity Challenge website, sparking a chain reaction of beneficence and backing. Remarkably, this year’s event has already garnered an outstanding R998,570 in pledges, even before the challenge’s kick-off.

The earnings from this year’s challenge will be allocated to several praiseworthy initiatives. The recipients include Abalimi Bezekhaya, an urban farming establishment that endows underprivileged Cape Town inhabitants with organic farming abilities. Funda Kunye, a modest non-profit organization will also benefit. This group endeavours to foster the comprehensive development of at-risk young children in Hout Bay by providing caregivers with essential early childhood development resources.

Beneficiaries of the Challenge

The Ndihluthi food program, which delivers nutritious ‘one-pot meals’ to disadvantaged communities in Cape Town, is also receiving aid this year. The Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) group, an integral part of the Cableway Charity Challenge since its inception, offers emergency services on the day of the challenge, and they will also benefit. The Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS), a volunteer-based firefighting organization established in the wake of the destructive fires in Cape Town in 1999/2000, will be a beneficiary for the first time this year.

All these beneficiaries represent a fraction of the 18 different groups that have reaped the rewards of the nearly R15 million raised since the Cableway Charity Challenge began. The beneficiaries range across various sectors from education and health to environmental and leadership projects, reflecting the diverse needs of the Cape Town community.

Contributing to the Challenge

Even if the climb appears too overwhelming, there is still an opportunity to contribute. Pledges can be made in favour of the 2024 Cableway Charity Challenge, making sure that you, too, can participate in this remarkable community initiative. Once again, Cape Town justifies why it is known as the ‘Mother City,’ nurturing its residents and visitors with kindness and concern, just as the Cableway Charity Challenge nurtures its beneficiaries with much-needed resources.

What is the purpose of the Cableway Charity Challenge in Cape Town?

The purpose of the Cableway Charity Challenge is to encourage individuals, corporate entities, and school groups to climb Platteklip Gorge and gather funds for various local causes. The event embodies the unifying spirit of adventure and offers stunning views of Cape Town.

Who can participate in the Cableway Charity Challenge?

The Cableway Charity Challenge is inclusive and welcomes all outdoor aficionados – from record-breaking elite runners to casual hikers who may only scale Platteklip Gorge once.

How are funds raised for the Cableway Charity Challenge?

Participants amass funds through endorsements on the Cableway Charity Challenge website. Pledges can be made to support the challenge and its beneficiaries.

What are the beneficiaries of the Cableway Charity Challenge?

The beneficiaries of the Cableway Charity Challenge are various local causes, including Abalimi Bezekhaya, Funda Kunye, Ndihluthi food program, Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR), and Volunteer Wildfire Services (VWS).

How has the Cableway Charity Challenge impacted the community?

The Cableway Charity Challenge deeply impacts the community by providing much-needed resources to various local causes. The challenge has raised nearly R15 million for 18 different groups since its inception.

Can individuals contribute to the Cableway Charity Challenge without participating in the climb?

Yes, individuals can make pledges in favor of the challenge and its beneficiaries, even if they are not participating in the climb.

Lerato Mokena is a Cape Town-based journalist who covers the city’s vibrant arts and culture scene with a focus on emerging voices from Khayelitsha to the Bo-Kaap. Born and raised at the foot of Table Mountain, she brings an insider’s eye to how creativity shapes—and is shaped by—South Africa’s complex social landscape. When she’s not chasing stories, Lerato can be found surfing Muizenberg’s gentle waves or debating politics over rooibos in her grandmother’s Gugulethu kitchen.

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