By Abigail Visagie
In a significant stride towards environmental sustainability, the Free State, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Small Business Development and Environmental Affairs, and the Free State Legislature have launched the One Million Trees Initiative, a project to promo...
An 18-year-old Russian tourist was rescued after spending a cold and wet night alone in the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve near Stellenbosch, following an emergency during a solo hike on the challenging Panorama Circuit Trail.
The teenager, who had researched Cape Town hiking routes online, began his hike at 10am on Thursday, Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR) said.
“While he was equipped for the trail under normal conditions, he did not anticipate the intensity of the rainfall or how significantly it would transform the landscape.”
By late afternoon, worsening weather had turned paths into shallow streams and rendered some sections of the trail impassable. His route was ultimately blocked by a torrent of water surging down the mountain. Unable to proceed, he attempted to retrace his steps. At about 4pm, he managed to send a message to a friend saying he was tired and in trouble. His phone battery died before he could share more details.
With no shelter and temperatures dropping overnight, the resourceful hiker sought refuge among rocks, using the natural cover to protect himself from the harsh conditions.
WSAR Western Cape, along with members from CapeNature, mobilized more than 20 volunteers and professionals when the alarm was raised on Friday morning. Using GPS data from his last known phone location, a search team was dispatched into the reserve.
