A document prepared for Highlands Development, providing some background and important considerations for a Drakensberg cableway in the QwaQwa area.

"Propspective developers will be allowed to investigate the possiblity of building a cable-way from the Elands River valley in the old Qwaqwa.

After an application by a development group to build a cable-way from the parking area below the Sentinel to the upper plateua, the Ecotourism Division of the Highlands Development decided to do a study of the present situation on the mountain and the environmental implications of such a development."

NOTE: relates to to very early proposals for the cableway in the Sentienl/QwQwa area, dating back to the 1990s.

Technical Document On The Mnweni Cableway Compiled For The Uthukela District Municipality.

"The Uthukela District Municipality is facilitating the development of a new and unique tourist attraction for KwaZulu-Natal’s well-established Drakensberg tourist route – the Mnweni Valley and Cable Way. The cableway’s base is to be located in the Mnweni Valley, the last undeveloped valley in the northern Drakensberg, and its summit will be between the Drakensberg landmarks of the Amphitheatre and Cathedral Peak. The summit will afford views of KwaZulu-Natal, the Free State and Lesotho. The location of the Mnw eni Valley in respect of the N3 (only 70 km), the busiest transport corridor in South Africa, makes it a very attractive proposition."

NOTE: Relates to the Mnweni cableway proposal of 2000.

Ingérop Africa has been commissioned by Tourism KwaZulu Natal to conduct a Peer Review on a Pre-Feasibility Report prepared by individuals, commissioned by The Federation of Drakensberg User Groups in October 2000.

The document to be reviewed is:
The Proposed Mnweni Cableway Pre-Feasibility Study – October 2000.

The main focus points of the review will include, but not be limited to:

NOTE: this document relates to the Saddle North Peak, Mnweni Proposal from 2000.

Newman Accounting and Tax Services was engaged by the African Conservation Trust [ACT] and the Wilderness Action Group [WAG] to review the “Final Draft Business Plan for the Development of a Drakensberg Cable Car” issued by Graham Muller Associates dated 14 October 2013.

The objective was  to identify material concerns regarding the financial viability of the proposed Drakensberg Cable Car.

While there were various significant findings, the two key findings were as follows:

1. The projected volume of 300 000 users is not supported by statistics, market research or detailed and supported calculations. To achieve 300 000 visitors per annum, assuming 35.5% of visitors to the Northern Drakensberg were to use the cableway, the required growth in visitors to this region would be 526% - whether or not such a level of growth can reasonably be achieved is not supported by any reference to any precedent, market research or statistics.

2. The ticket prices of R350 per adult and R200 per ticket indicate that the proposed tariffs would be in excess of the majority of cableways around the world. No market research or statistics have been presented to indicate that the target market will be willing to spend this on the use of the cableway.

While various other concerns in addition to the above are presented, with the substantial capital outlay, the success or failure of the proposed cableway lies primarily with the ticket price and number of tickets sold. The Business Plan does not adequately address these key aspects.

This review was released on 31 December 2013.

An important statement released by the AmaZizi Tribal Authority, the AmaZizi Wilderness Group, and the Mnweni Wilderness Working Team with regards to the Drakensberg cableway proposal - Dec 2013.

The are appealing to the world to inform themselves about the proposal and the impact it will have on the AmaZizi people. They do not want the cableway and need your help in spreading an awareness and opposition it.

Final Draft Business Plan for the proposed Busingatha cableway, released by Graham Muller Assocoates in October 2013.

Preliminary comments released by Vertical Endeavour on the Busingatha Cableway proposal - Dec 2013.

Initial comments from the African Conservation Trust relating to the following three documents prepared for the provincial Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDT):
• Final draft of a Feasibility Study for the Development of a Drakensberg Cableway dated 19 July 2013, (Graham Muller Associates);
• Final Draft Business Plan for the Development of a Drakensberg Cable Car dated 14 October 2013 (Graham Muller Associates);
• Drakensberg-Busingatha Cableway: Updated technical description and Pre Feasibility Study dated 20 September 2013 by (Kuka Mining Logistics (Pty) ltd which has a co-operation agreement with Leitner and their subsidiary company Agudio. (Submitted to Graham Muller Associates).

The Wilderness Action Group (WAG) hereby lodges its comments and concerns associated with the proposed cableway. WAG has commented on previous proposals for cableways in the Drakensberg that, for various good reasons, were never pursued. Many of the objections and concerns raised for these previous proposals still apply and it is unfortunate that the developers and consultants involved with the current proposed development have not familiarised themselves with these well-considered and well-informed documents prepared with due consideration and at great cost by experts in various fields, who were familiar with this area of the Drakensberg.

Drakensberg Busingatha Cableway - Updated Techincal Description and Prefeasibility Study. Engineering report for the proposed Drakensberg cableway.