From my chair:

58’ 31.17”S 22° 35’ 44.89”E (elevation 151m)

Dear all

You’ll know by now the good news that, as a consequence of the Section’s finances being in rude health, there’ll be no increase in subscription fees for 2026.

The meet reports for the recent multiday hikes that have come in show that much fun has been enjoyed in the hills. Work commitments prevented us from taking part in the full programme of the National Meet in the Cederberg, but it was still great to get back to this stunning area in the company of old friends. Tygerberg Section organised a superb event, with about 170 people attending. Interestingly, there was a lot more climbing activity than is usual with these meets.

Eastern Province is arranging next year’s National Meet. Basing it at Buckland’s Farm, they will be celebrating their 75th anniversary. (As you know, our Section has been around barely a quarter of that time, although we’ve grown to three quarters the size of the EP Section). We’re close neighbours, and I do hope many of you will diarise the dates (25 April to 3 May).

Those of you who know and love the Tankwa Karoo will be delighted to hear that Pieter Holtzhauzen of the Hottentots Holland Section’s Walking the Tra Tra project was awarded the 2025 UIAA Mountain Protection Award Best New Initiative prize. You can read and watch more about this here: https://www.theuiaa.org/mpa2025-bni/ – trail runners take particular note!

Paul Carstensen, our National President, recently attended the UIAA meetings held in Kosovo. If you’re interested in further details of what transpired, please drop me a line. The latest UIAA newsletter can be found here: https://webmailweb-jnb.konsoleh.co.za/?_task=mail&_mbox=INBOX&_page=2

I see that tables for this week’s Great Quiz Night are filling up – do contact Janet soon!

& contributions are being sought for the next MCSA journal, with a deadline of 31 January 2026. I think

I was the only contributor from the South Cape last year, but I hope to read of someone else’s mountain enjoyment this year.

‘til another time

Gary Cundill

chair@scp.mcsa.org.za