Cape Town - When Durban couple Muzi Sibanyoni and Pearl Shoba planned to visit Table Mountain, they never expected to be honoured for being the 29th million visitors to the Unesco World Heritage Site.
Sibanyoni, a doctor at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, and Shoba, an assistant director for financial accounting at the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Transport, made time for a baecation in Cape Town in between his work commitments. The couple initially thought that they did something wrong when they were asked to step out of the line.
“We were waiting in the long queue for around 30 minutes when a woman came to speak to us. It was random. When she left, I asked Muzi if he knew her, and he said no. I initially thought she must have been one of his patients.
“She came back again asking us to follow her. Muzi was sceptical and did not want to go. We thought we must have done something wrong.
“After a few moments, and much convincing, we decided to follow her. She was with the media. They told us we were the 29 million visitors,” Shoba told IOL Travel.
Durban couple Muzi Sibanyoni and Pearl Shoba said they felt like celebrities. Picture: Luigi Bennett.
The couple’s day only got better. They were ushered straight to the front of the line to go on the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway and had the ride up all to themselves. Once up, the couple shared a meal with the dramatic views of the mountain before them. They also explored the mountain and took a few selfies.
“It was a special moment for us. We have been to Cape Town before, but this was our first as a couple. We felt like celebrities. To experience this with Muzi was romantic. It is something we will cherish forever,” she said. The couple received some gifts and a voucher to mark the moment
“We will come back after Valentine’s Day. We thank the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company for the experience,” she said.
Table Mountain celebrated its 28 million visitor milestone in January.
Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company had launched early-access tickets that allow visitors to take the first cable car up at 7:30am before the site opens to the general public.
The limited tickets are only available for purchase online and valid until January 15, 2020.