News24 | SANParks urges hikers to stay off Silvermine, Tokai trails

Five cars and a motorbike were damaged in the Silvermine dam parking area during a fire at Table Mountain National Park on 27 April 2025 in Cape Town.

SANParks has urged hikers, mountain bikers and the public at large to stay off trails at Silvermine and Tokai as their teams are still managing occasional flare-ups.

A wildfire which started on 25 April in the Tokai and Silvermine areas of Table Mountain National Park destroyed about 3 000 hectares of vegetation, SANParks warned that the burnt areas are still hazardous.

The SANParks spokesperson, JP Louw, said it would be premature to allow the public back on the trails while clearance of nails and pins is still underway.

“The area remains unstable underfoot,” he said.

“We appeal to the public not to enter closed trails because it could be dangerous and result in trampling of emerging vegetation or disturbance of wildlife that has minimal areas of refuge while the vegetation cover regrows,” Louw said.

He added that at this stage it would be impossible to predict when the closed areas would be re-opened, adding that announcements will be made at the appropriate time.

Louw said the weather service is meanwhile forecasting rain this weekend, which will necessitate another assessment as rains will inevitably destabilise slopes and cause localised rockfalls.

READ | 'Miracle reunion': Holly the dog back with owner after 3 days on burning Cape Town mountain

Sonica Lategan, the City of Cape Town’s Disaster Risk Management spokesperson, said that the South African Weather Service issued a Yellow Level 4 warning for damaging winds and waves associated with an incoming cold front this weekend.

“The forecast is for strong to gale force north-westerly to westerly winds along the Western Cape coastline between Friday evening and Saturday evening, with the wind starting to moderate from Saturday afternoon,” said Lategan.