Koeberg Nature reserve closed to public

[me100]

Like where ?

 

...

Hoogekraal and Faircape

Contermanskloof

Bloemendaal Hillcrest Trail network

[AllAboutRides]

Any news when Koeberg will reopen?

 

I looooove riding from Durbanville to Koeberg and back, nice 100km+ ride so can’t wait to do it again.....

 

But then again, I’ve seen some new “shacks” that popped up on your way to Sunningdale, Du Noon is expanding

[AllAboutRides]

Latest on Koeberg?

[Robbie Stewart]

Koeberg trails will remain closed until the national government lift the state of emergency resultant from the covid pandemic. Why? Because it's a national key point. In other words, no threat of any nature can or will be permitted to enter the grounds which could in any likelihood threaten the safe and continuous operation of the site.

And trust me, in SA they're slack by even allowing civilians onto the perimeter. Security is already a joke. In the UAE you're not even allowed to have a cellphone, smart watch, gps device or anything that might give your position away on your person when you enter the power station grounds.

But it's only folks on mtb's and walkers who want access to the nature reserve, you say. Well, it does not matter. If the security gets infected by Covid and this somehow makes it to the staff, and critical staff are infected, that will most likely plonk us squarely back in to a literal black hole with no end in sight. Eskom is walking a tight line as it is. No extra stressors are needed to fan the embers into a raging firestorm.

[Jbr]

Am I supposed to believe that all the staff stays on site 24/7 in a safe bubble ?     

 

The only staff I see when I go cycling in koeberg is the guard at the gate.

[ChrisF]

As Robbie says, this is a "key point".

 

Actually amazing that we get to ride there the rest of the time.

 

 

Logic does not form part of the discussion when discussing access to the key point sites.

Edited May 1, 2021 by ChrisF

[Robbie Stewart]

Am I supposed to believe that all the staff stays on site 24/7 in a safe bubble ?     

 

The only staff I see when I go cycling in koeberg is the guard at the gate.

 

No one expected logic to to apply behind what Eskom does or does not do. Of course the entire staff complement is susceptible to any host of threats once outside the gates, but still, the nature reserve will remain closed for the foreseeable future at least.

 

 

[ChrisF]

Looking a bit wider at the concept of "key points" :

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_National_Key_Points

 

 

I have had the opportunity to work on many of the key point sites in the Western Cape.

 

EDIT - interesting that the test range outside Arneston is not on this list .... certainly one of the most interesting places if ever you do get the chance to go in ....

 

The one constant - STRICT rules.

 

Most certainly, many of the rules are not obvious at first glance.  But once you look wider at the international guidelines for nuclear, weapons, petro-chemical, etc. sites, well then some of the rules have a pattern to them.

 

 

One of the rules that I will always remember - for many years men were not allowed on the refinery site if they had a moustache or beard .... as it might affect the operation of face masks.  On another site I had to send a detailed list of items that I need to bring into the site.  Many of these sites you leave your cellphone in the car in the parking lot, or hand it in security.

 

 

To this day Koeberg is one of the very few of the sites on this list that allows public onto the property, even if it only on the reserve next to the site.

 

 

 

O-well, we await the day we are allowed bock onto these trails.  

Edited May 11, 2021 by ChrisF

[Today's Plan]

Is it really still closed 2 years later ? It just doesnt make sense , as just called office and a very confused told me I cant ride there ?

Can anyone confirm?

[Hairy]

7 minutes ago, Today's Plan said:

Is it really still closed 2 years later ? It just doesnt make sense , as just called office and a very confused told me I cant ride there ?

Can anyone confirm?

Agreed that it is really stupid

 

[SURFER]

Open for persons working at Koeberg (me), but still closed for public

[Hairy]

59 minutes ago, SURFER said:

Open for persons working at Koeberg (me), but still closed for public

what is the official wording of exactly why they are not open to the public please?

[SURFER]

Not sure

 

[Hairy]

20 minutes ago, SURFER said:

Not sure

 

I understand, from the word on the street, that it was locked down when we did the country went into a state of emergency (Or whatever they are calling it) due to covid. Koeberg being a secure key point kind of vibe then plays by different rules and were forced to change their security protocols due the the "emergency thingie" and therefore stopped the public accessing the site.

Has anything changed at the reserve with less human beings running and riding around the site?

[Jewbacca]

40 minutes ago, Hairy said:

I understand, from the word on the street, that it was locked down when we did the country went into a state of emergency (Or whatever they are calling it) due to covid. Koeberg being a secure key point kind of vibe then plays by different rules and were forced to change their security protocols due the the "emergency thingie" and therefore stopped the public accessing the site.

Has anything changed at the reserve with less human beings running and riding around the site?

It was closed long before lock down.

Before that it was closed more than it was open to the public. Realistically the why isn't important.

It's closed until it isn't.

[ChrisF]

Hairy based on our projects at other government facilities .... covid regs and working from home is still very much in place.  Only essential staff are on site, at most other sites.

 

I dont currently have access to the inner workings at Koeberg.  Fair to guess that allowing public back onto site is a very low priority.

 

 

Sad, as this have always been a nice to take new riders.  Zero technical.  So perfect to concentrate gears, braking, small dips in the road.

 

 

Pretty sure the decision makers are following the covid patterns all over the world ..... our 4th wave has started.  So even less chance of it being opened now.  The world certainly have not gotten on top of this mess as yet .... sadly