Lucky day: Professor Hugh Corder became the 18-millionth person to ride the cable car.

Friday the thirteenth turned out to be a good one for Professor Hugh Corder.

When Corder, dean of the Faculty of Law, saw journalists and balloons in front of the Table Mountain's lower cable-car station on 13 July, he thought some famous celebrity was visiting.

Moments later, it turned out, he was the celebrity. When he purchased tickets for his family, he was told that he was 18-millionth person to go up this popular tourism destination with the cable car since it opened in 1929. (The same year, by the by, UCT moved to its current home on the Groote Schuur estate.) The cameras quickly flashed his way.

For the distinction, Corder was presented with a certificate, a sweater, a cap and a hamper with chocolates. He was also handed a bottle of wine and tickets for a meal in the restaurant on top of the mountain. As Corder's entire family counted as the '18-millionth visitor', all got a free ride up the mountain. "It was a lucky thing to happen and we are very grateful."