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- A hiking couple was rescued in the Drakensberg mountains after an altercation with local shepherds turned violent.
- The man sustained multiple injuries and was taken to Life Hilton Private Hospital.
- An assault case has been opened with Himeville police.
A couple was rescued last weekend after they became embroiled in an altercation with Basotho shepherds on their last day of their 10-day hike in the Drakensberg mountains, which eventually turned violent.
It is alleged that the shepherds assaulted them on Walker's Peak near Bushmen's Nek last Saturday.
The couple managed to escape and sent an SOS message using their smart watches, before setting up camp nearby and waiting for help.
However, rescue operations by MSCA and Mountain Search and Rescue (MSAR) were delayed because the couple could not be rescued via helicopter due to altitude conditions, and a ground team could only reach the couple after sunrise.
MCSA said that after re-evaluating its options, a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter was used to airlift medics to the hikers before the man was flown to an awaiting ambulance and transferred to Life Hilton Private Hospital.
In a statement, MCSA said the shepherds focused on the man, who sustained multiple injuries during the altercation.
President of the MSCA in KwaZulu-Natal, Carl Dreyer, told News24 it was "extremely rare" for hikers to report instances of such a nature.
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"This area is not particularly treacherous or dangerous. By far, most of these calls are for standard search-and-rescue incidents, like missing persons, injuries from falling, or other outdoor-related incidents," Dreyer said.
The club said it responded to calls in the 230km mountain range of the Drakensberg and beyond.
Dreyer said there were many interventions to ensure that hikers were safe on trails in the Drakensberg.
He advised hikers to be friendly, kind, and courteous when encountering other people, set up camp off main paths, keep all belongings in their tents at night and try to hike in groups of four or more.
An assault case has been opened with the South African Police Service (SAPS) in Himeville.
The police were approached for comment but had yet to respond by the time of publication.
Their comment will be added once received.
