Page 108 - SAICE book proof 2 LATEST JULY 2014

s a i c e
WESTERN CAPE PROVINCE

9. hout Bay Manganese mining only existed ◊ From top to bottom:
for a brief time. As with other types of mining, this one ◊ Historic information on the Hout Bay Manganese mines
came and went but some of the civil engineering struc- ◊ Table Mountain Cableway
tures like the piers are still visible after about 80 years ◊ Jan Joubert Bridge
of attacks by the sea.

34°01’15.15” S, 18°22’05.75” E

10. Table Mountain Cableway was the second
attempt at transporting people up the mountain. Before
World War I the idea was to build a funicular up the
Platteklip Gorge, which did not materialise. In 1926 a
local Norwegian civil engineer carried out surveys and
concluded that a rope way would be much cheaper and
provide spectacular views. Even in those days the fear
was that the bulk of the upper station and the cables
could tear off a piece of the precarious rock at the top
on which it was to be situated. These fears were even-
tually dispelled since it was found that the top part of
that location consists of thick layers of sandstone. The
original cableway was completed in 1929. In 1997 a
major upgrade was done including new cables, rotat-
ing cars, water and wastewater systems, and new rock
anchors to enhance tying in the upper station across a
fault line in the rock to enable it to carry the additional
new loads as well as support structures. Over the years
this civil engineering landmark has carried over 20 mil-
lion visitors.

33°57’09.56” S, 18°24’11.64” E

11. Bridges and viaducts of the Cape includes
a variety of old stone structures right up to the venera-
ble steel bridges of Gouritz River Gorge. Bridge building
changed over time, from timber and stone and before
concrete technology and reinforced concrete, steel was
the engineering choice for bridge and building struc-
tures, much of it imported from Europe.

As would be expected, each of these bridges carry a
story and interested readers are encouraged to read
more about these bridges in the publications previously
mentioned. The bridges below represent a mere sam-
pling:

• Jan Joubertsgat bridge between Franschoek
and Villiersdorp is the oldest formal bridge in the
country and although its stonework masonry arch
only spans five metres this old elephant path became
a major breach in the quest to get through the moun-
tains, courtesy of royal engineer Holloway’s expertise
circa 1824.

33° 56′ 17.82″ S, 19° 9′ 39.85″ E

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