The tradition says that being "whipped" (gently tapped) on the legs with these fresh twigs ensures health, beauty, and vitality for the coming year.
: The Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company won top honors for Local Economic Benefit at the WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards 2026 . nuwest fcv 096 whipping day at table mountain new
likely references the famous legend of Van Hunks and the Devil. In this Cape Town folklore, the "cloth" of clouds that covers Table Mountain is said to be the smoke from a monumental pipe-smoking contest. The tradition says that being "whipped" (gently tapped)
This was the "Whipping Day"—a term the old-timers at the Nuwest outfit used for the annual maintenance of the high-altitude transport lines. It was called that because if the cable went slack and suddenly snapped taut, it would whip across the granite with enough force to slice a man in half. It was dangerous, loud, and exhausting work, usually reserved for the roughest crew they had. In this Cape Town folklore, the "cloth" of
The cable sang a high-pitched, deadly note.
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