Table Mountain is one of the most photographed  natural landmarks in the world, but how often do we truly look beyond its flat silhouette? In these articles for The Daily Maverick , writer Don Pinnock invites us to see Table Mountain differently: from myths and early artistic interpretations, to the ancient vegetation that cloaks it and the hidden waterways that quietly sustain life. “The Flat Mountain That Wouldn’t Behave” From Sailors’ Tales to Artistic Interpretations Lon

The next few days will offer ideal conditions to observe Mensa, the celestial counterpart of Hoerikwaggo, with no clouds, and early evening darkness allowing the constellation to rise well above the southern horizon. From Cape Town, South Africa (approx. latitude 34° S), you can see the constellation Mensa, Latin for “The Table” (named after Table Mountain), because it lies well into the southern celestial hemisphere and is visible from all Southern Hemisphere latitudes south

(Translated from the original article in Trouw ) If Mount Taranaki in New Zealand and Antarctica can be declared a legal entity, why not Table Mountain? A leading South African environmental lawyer is on a mission. Cormac Cullinan (63) is one of the lucky few who can look out of his window each morning and see one of the world’s most beloved rock formations. Table Mountain in Cape Town, with its iconic flat top, is a constant presence in the lives of five million residents —

What’s the one place on the mountain you always like to visit, and why? A hidden cave, a quiet stream, an ancient tree, a lookout that holds a memory? Writer Don Pinnock is gathering your stories for a new Daily Maverick series, The Storied Mountain , help contribute by sharing how Table Mountain has shaped you. Share your favourite spot, and the story that lives there via Daily Maverick Connect or through our public consultation survey .

At a colloquium at NWU in September 2025 the Wild Law Institute submitted two formal abstracts for potential peer-reviewed publication, marking a significant step toward establishing an academic foundation that will strengthen the initiative’s legal credibility. In these academic forums, the Wild Law Institute presented the legal rationale for recognising Hoerikwaggo as a living entity with inherent rights, situating the initiative within the broader planetary polycrisis and

On 22 October 2025, members of the Table Mountain Rights initiative participated in the Human (in) Nature Conference hosted in Stellenbosch and organised by the Bergplaas Nature Reserve within the Nature and Circularity Week . The gathering brought together researchers, lawyers, land owners, spiritual practitioners, and Rights of Nature advocates to explore emerging approaches to relating with the more-than-human world. The Table Mountain Rights Initiative was referenced in t

In this article earth scientist Professor John Compton invites readers to see Table Mountain not as a static landmark, but as a living geological story written over hundreds of millions of years. Tracing its origins from ancient sand grains eroded from long-vanished mountain ranges, through deep burial, immense pressure, continental collision and uplift, Professor Compton writes about how a prehistoric shoreline slowly transformed into the resilient sandstone massif that def

A recent radio interview and an article highlight the growing public conversation about recognising Table Mountain as a legal subject with rights. The engagement invites Capetonians and South Africans more broadly to consider a fundamental shift: from viewing the mountain as an object or resource to recognising it as a living being with intrinsic value. Environmental attorney Cormac Cullinan explains that such recognition would not only protect the mountain’s ecological integ

A groundbreaking campaign is underway to grant Table Mountain legal personhood, led by environmental lawyer Cormac Cullinan, who first envisioned this radical idea over 20 years ago while writing his acclaimed book "Wild Law." Following New Zealand's recent recognition of Mount Taranaki as a legal entity, a diverse coalition of lawyers, activists, and traditional healers conducted a sacred ceremony on "Hoerikwaggo" (the indigenous name for Table Mountain) to formally request

Social justice and environmental justice are inseparable. Protecting Table Mountain is not only about conserving a unique ecosystem; it is also about recognising the mountain’s cultural and spiritual significance, honouring Indigenous histories, and ensuring that local communities have a genuine voice in decisions that affect their lives. This means rethinking the way we approach development, conservation, and human well-being — not as competing agendas, but as deeply connect

In a recent Cape Talk interview , Wild Law directors Cormac Cullinan and Mphatheleni Makaulule, along with human rights lawyer Pooven Moodley, discussed the movement to legally recognise Table Mountain as a living entity with rights under law. The conversation centred around the article " Towards the Recognition of Table Mountain as a Living Entity in Law and Beyond ." Building on the ideas explored in the article, the discussion contrasted Western legal systems, which often