New Regulations: Impact on Access for Climbers
CapeNature has recently introduced stricter regulations for visitors to Truitjieskraal and Wolfberg, two popular destinations for climbing enthusiasts. Effective immediately, Truitjieskraal will now be open from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm daily, significantly reducing the time available. Visitors must exit by 4 pm to avoid a written warning and possible further fines. Additionally, Wolfberg now requires visitors to obtain a day permit before 10 am, further tightening access to these areas.
This change has already impacted many climbers over the past few weeks, like Brian W, who was issued a warning after leaving Truitjieskraal past the new curfew, which up until this point has been standard practice for most outdoor climbers.
Requesting Clarity on New Regulations
Being understandably dismayed after receiving a written warning for what feels like an unreasonable and excessive new ruling, Brian emailed CapeNature requesting an explanation and imploring them to reconsider. In response he received the email below explaining that the new regulations apparently aim to protect the unique biodiversity of the reserves, which are part of a World Heritage Site. They emphasized that curfews help reduce human impact, prevent illegal overnight stays, and preserve the natural behaviours of wildlife. Nighttime restrictions also mitigate safety risks posed by navigating the area’s rugged terrain after dark.
Community Concerns: Balancing Conservation with Climber Access
While CapeNature insists the rules are vital for conservation and safety, many understandably find them overly harsh. These well-loved areas have been frequented by climbers for years with no specific opening hours. Robert Breyer, MCSA CT rock sub-committee chair and a long-time Cederberg climber, is in discussions with CapeNature’s Cederberg Manager, Monique Ruthenburg, to address these concerns, with updates to follow.
Robert says: “the CapeNature explanation for the new hours is just a lot of hogwash. I plan to meet Monique ASAP to find out the real reason for this, and express climbers’ extreme unhappiness at these new rules”.
Where to Get Permits for Wolfberg and Truitjieskraal
Wolfberg:
Wolfberg is situated on private land, and permits are required for access. You can obtain a permit from the Sanddrif reception. R85 per person. The road up to Wolfberg is gated and you will need to get the latest combination number to get in, so sneaking in is not possible. For more information, contact:
- Tel: +27 (0)27 482 2825
- Email: sanddrif@cederbergwine.com
Truitjieskraal:
For climbing at Truitjieskraal, you’ll need to obtain a CapeNature permit, available at the Kromrivier reception or the CapeNature Algeria or Matjiesrivier offices for R50. Wild Card members can get permits free of charge upon presentation of their Wild Card. The dirt road to Truitjieskraal has a chain and combination lock, so you will need to get the latest lock number to get in, so sneaking in is not possible.
Kromrivier:
- Email: info@cederbergpark.com
- Website: Kromrivier Office
- Tel: (027) 482-2807
Cape Nature:
- Website:Cape Nature
- Tel: 027 482 9922
CapeNature’s response to Brian W’s email enquiry below:
Dear Mr W
I hope you are well?
Thank you for your email query regarding the reserve’s closing time. We value your feedback and are pleased to provide further insight into our policies, procedures and regulations.
It is standard practice and aligns with conservation legislation for Protected Areas, Nature Reserves and National Parks to implement gate times or hours of operation to ensure their ecological integrity and visitor safety. Matjiesrivier, including the notable Stadsaal and Truitjieskraal sites, is part of a World Heritage Site, underscoring the global importance of preserving its unique natural and cultural values. Adhering to these operational hours helps manage human impact and protect the site’s extraordinary biodiversity and heritage.
Our Operational or Visitor hours, which includes gate hours of 07:30 – 16:00, is not new. These times are in place to support both the ecological health of the reserve and visitor safety. Recently, we have improved onsite capacity and increased our patrols to ensure compliance with these regulations, prompted by increasing incidents of illegal overnight stays. These incidents have unfortunately included littering, unauthorized fires, the use of drones, and other forms of anti-social behavior.
From a scotobiological standpoint, it is essential to limit light pollution in protected areas to preserve the natural behaviors of wildlife. Many species depend on natural light cycles for their activities, and artificial light (car lights, torches, lantersn etc.) can disrupt these patterns, negatively impacting their survival. By ensuring visitor are out the Reserve or Protected area before sunset (or set time in the afternoon as per site rules), we help reduce the potential for such disturbances and allow wildlife to engage in their essential nocturnal activities undisturbed.
Moreover, the reserve’s rugged terrain, which includes rocky areas and cliff drops, becomes significantly more hazardous after dark. We aim to prevent accidents and injuries that could arise from navigating these dangerous areas without sufficient light.
Our role as a conservation agency necessitates a balanced approach to managing visitor needs, environmental integrity and safety concerns. The increased patrols and enforcement of site rules or regulations are part of our effort to mitigate the negative impacts of the aforementioned illegal activities, which not only threaten the reserve’s ecological integrity but also compromise the safety of all visitors.
We appreciate your understanding and support in these matters. Our goal remains to protect and preserve the natural beauty and biodiversity of the reserve while ensuring a safe environment for everyone. If you have further questions or require additional information, please feel free to reach out.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Mogamat Saliem AmlayContact Centre Manager customercare@capenature.co.za
www.capenature.co.za
087 087 8250Download the CapeNature App for free
