155 rescued as cableway fails

THE HARTBEESPOORT Aerial Cableway has been closed to the public after a mechanical glitch left 155 people stranded on top of the mountain on Saturday afternoon.

This occurred when customers were having lunch on top of the mountain, said cableway general manager Ian Dunn.

Dunn was part of the group and called the rescue team, who responded swifty, assisting the customers, who numbered 125, and the 30 staff members.

“There were no reports of injuries or casualties; everyone made it off the mountain in good condition,” he said. The Harties Aerial Cableway rises high above the Magaliesberg Mountains, providing a view over the Hartbeespoort Dam and beyond. It was built in 1973 and became well known as a paragliding and gliding destination. However, by 2005, it had fallen into a state of disrepair and was closed. It was revived in 2010, with 14 sixseater hi-tech cable cars.

“The cableway is now closed ... We will make it publicly known when it is reopened,” Dunn said, explaining that a team of engineers was investigating the cause.