Sponsored Links:
INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS
File photo by David Ritchie.
South African’s are in 7th heaven after an announcement on Friday night that the country’s most admired landmark, Table Mountain, was chosen as one of the New7Wonders of Nature.
The campaign, created by Swiss-based New7Wonders Foundation, used social networking and technology to activate a global voting campaign.
MXit, Africa’s largest mobile social network, dedicated its platform to helping Table Mountain win this global accolade, and according to MXit’s new CEO, Alan Knott Craig, the results were outstanding.
“We are excited for both South Africa and for Cape Town. Our team at MXit pulled out all the stops for this campaign and the result is simply phenomenal. In the last few weeks of voting, our traffic for the campaign exceeded any other voting initiative that we supported and this is testament to the extent to which South African’s will back their national pride, culture and heritage. Well done South Africa, we did it!” says Knott Craig.
MXit, which has over 44-million registered user accounts, with roughly 80% being South African, supported the campaign by developing a dedicated portal for South African’s to vote for the New7Wonders initiative.
To promote voting, the mobile social network promoted the campaign amongst its vast user base through adverts and notices throughout the social platform, and on other online platforms.
Table Mountain was originally chosen as one of more than 400 global natural wonders. In the second phase of the campaign, Table Mountain was amongst 77 natural wonders that made it through to the second round.
Some of the 28 finalists included Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Uluru (Ayers Rock) in Australia, the Grand Canyon in the US, the Galapagos islands of Ecuador, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Dead Sea in Isreal.
The New7Wonders winners announced were:
1. Table Mountain, South Africa
2. Puerto Princesa Underground River
3. Komodo Island, Indonesia
4. Jeju Island
5. Iguazu Falls in Brazil / Argentina
6. Halong Bay
7. Amazon
) and select "Flag as inappropriate". Our moderators will take action if need be.
Rodney, wrote
Well Done Table Mountain. By way of info all the previous Wonders of the World are still just that, including Vic Falls. To those who claim there was cheating through sending in more than 1 vote, I can dispute this. I had forgotten that I had voted many months back and sent in a vote, only to have it returned with a comment"sorry you have already voted"
Anonymous, wrote
Great Table Mountain is unique and should become more of an icon if possible - an ofbeat suggestion what about making lions head looking more like a lions head .......
Anonymous, wrote
Adrian, then why didn't you vote for Kilimanjaro, Great Barrier Reef etc?? (Clearly Australia didn't vote or they didn't care.) The rules said you can vote as many times as you wish. South Africa voted... Table Mountain is one of the 7 wonders. Get over it.
Hein, wrote
Anon emus, wrote
Table Mountain is beautiful. I lived in Cape Town most of my life. I will never get tired of viewing the mountain, day and night. It tells us what the weather is going to be like for the day. No need for television to tell us. However, there are more than 7 wonders. Take Victoria Falls for instance. Not even a look in. It is so beautiful. The list goes on and on. With not enough time or space to mention.
Anonymous, wrote
Its not about the looks. Table Mountain is a nature reserve as it contains about 13 of the worlds flowerplant varieties.
Marcel, wrote
Been living in CT forever and real nice place, but its still nothing but a mountain (and a small one for that too). So chaps, be proud of your spot but get real. Go visit Grand Canyon or the Alps and then come back and still tell me Table Mountain is wondrous.
Anonymous, wrote
Why is Nature limited to 7 wonders? There are numerous natural wonders that we lose sight of as we fixate on our local item.....don't limit yourself to so few when God's wonders are too numerous too count...
Alex, wrote
Guys, this was a WORLD-WIDE vote! Not MAINLY MXit, which OBVIOUSLY would have skewed it stupidly in our favour. Obviously people in the USA voted thousands of times for the Grand Canyon, and Germans for the Black Forest too - so this was clearly not a 'cheat'. Plus which, not long ago the vast majority of votes for the mountain were from outside of SA. Anyway, a WELL deserved win! Of the 7 that made it, one of the 3 most amazing imho.
Anonymous, wrote
Cape Town - Basically a slum around a Mountain with a few nice spots. There is so much litter you can mistake parts of the mountain for a rubbish tip.
Bodo, wrote
Traveling all over the world, Table Mountain is and will remain unique. What would Cape Town be without Table Mountin, Lions Head and the 12 Apostils....
Adrian, wrote
Seriously? Table Mountain was selected ahead of Kilimanjaro, Great Barrier Reef, Grand Canyon, Dead Sea, etc? That's just ludicrous
Anonymous, wrote
@tony, jezza and marcel - thats what happens when a parent doesn't tell you you are wonderful and kiss u often....u become so critical and pessimistic.... Big Up to you Table Mountain....a vote is bot cheated if allowed by the rules of the game
Amanda, wrote
I've lived in Cape Town for 43 years and I am still amazed at the beauty of Table Mountain. We are very fortunate to live in such an amazing city!
Anonymous, wrote
Why did it take so long to select Table Mountain? Anyone who has been there would know this is truly one of "the" wonders of the world! I am so happy with this deserving selection!!!
tony, wrote
Sounds a bit like a general election in SA, vote as many times as you want. How many votes would it have got if half the population didnt vote hundreds of times each. Typical SA way, cheat to win, only a bunch of loosers cheats to win at all costs. Iol I hope you dont censor this comment as you do most of the time.
Anonymous, wrote
Marcel - nothing wondrous, eh? So how many mountains have you created? Or mole0hills for that matter?
Anonymous, wrote
How arrogant. People's votes do not make something a wonder - the fact that it was created by God does. Each one of us is a wonder. So is the mere fact that we woke up this morning. We whould rather wake up and look after all our natural wonders better than fight about what is and is not a wonder.
Anonymous, wrote
Marius, wrote
Hey Marcel, it's clear as daylight that you have either never seen Table Mountain for real or it was so long ago for you that you don't remember it. Ask anyone who's seen it for real, they'll tell you that you can't stop looking at it when you're there. Just a mountain? Ha!!
Buying a car has never been easy. Motoring.co.za contains a large database of car listings with a user friendly search.
Start searching today »
Services
Business Directory
You are here: IOL / Travel / Travel News / Table Mountain makes Seven Wonders list
We like to make your life easier
Mobile
Browse IOL on your phone at m.iol.co.za.
Newsletters
Subscribe to our newsletters. News delivered to your inbox!
