My name is Silas, and after finishing school, I did a voluntary social year in Lavender Hill in Cape Town. My fascination with Cape Town dates back to this time. I am still very attached to Lavender Hill, a place marked by love and violence, caught between hope for a better life and drugs, and I spend many days of my holidays there. I also have a bachelor's degree in political science and economics, which is why I am very interested in South African politics.

The name of my blog is influenced by the hype surrounding the city. Every day, I watch TikTok videos of influencers and digital nomads who want to show me how beautiful and affordable Cape Town is. I watch videos of white people partying on Clifton Beach and wonder if it's just me who finds it strange. The hype surrounding Cape Town consists of three neighbourhoods: Camps Bay, Sea Point and Clifton. I named my blog Beyond Table Mountain because Cape Town is more than just these three hyped-up white neighbourhoods. But it doesn't just mean looking at Cape Town from a different geographical perspective, it also means explaining the social struggles associated with the hype surrounding the city. Because even if we don't realise it while playing beach volleyball on Camps Bay Beach, we are protagonists in a struggle for justice in Cape Town.

My motivation for this blog is that I want to write down my thoughts about a city that has been on my mind for over 10 years now. I visited Cape Town for the first time in 2014 and am seriously considering moving there for a few years. At the latest when the Nazis of the AFD come to power after the next federal election, I will probably be the first to emigrate.

The blog is an attempt to sort through and share my thoughts and impressions. I'm not trying to jump on the current Cape Town hype bandwagon, because, to be honest, I've already jumped on it in a way. I would like to see the hype disappear because, in my opinion, it's not good for the city, but I'll address that in another post in the coming weeks. You can find plenty of information on Instagram or TikTok about where to find the best matcha latte or smash burger in town. You won't find that here. You won't find a travel blog with lonely places and hidden gems either, although I am happy to share places where I like to spend time or places I still want to visit, depending on my mood. If there's one thing I can promise, it's that I'll write a lot about why Cape Town ‘fucked me up’ but still won't let me go. When I think of Cape Town, it's a lot about the injustice and inequality that can be felt every day. More than 30 years have passed since the end of apartheid, and so little has changed. For over 15 years, Cape Town has been ruled by a party whose programme is close to that of Christian Lindner. I don't think we can expect much from that.

In addition to my everyday thoughts on politics, digital nomads and injustices in Cape Town, I will also address a topic that has interested me for a long time: the gangs in Cape Town. The topic is sensitive, but very exciting, and to say it right at the outset: I am aware of my role as a white, wealthy person from Germany. Everything I write is an outside perspective from a white German and should be read accordingly.