The queen and the Beemer
2003-02-24 09:40
Martina Smit
Johannesburg - A family, who wanted to introduce their two-year-old to the cast of The Lion King, had a narrow escape when their car broke down in the lion camp of the Krugersdorp Game Reserve.
"My wife is a shade paler that she was," Deon Visser said on Sunday.
The Vissers and their domestic worker were in the park at about 10:00 on Sunday to watch the seven lions in the camp being fed.
About 10 minutes after game rangers fed a donkey carcass to the lions, one of the lionesses rushed up to a car and placed her paws on the bonnet.
The spectators decided to take off, but Visser's BMW would not start.
"The car's window was down with enough space for a lion to push a paw through, but I couldn't close it."
His wife managed to attract the attention of Louis du Preez and Shelvyn Alberts who chased four lionesses away from the Vissers with their own cars.
Meanwhile, another lioness stood up against the boot of the Vissers' car.
Du Preez turned back to help the Vissers and one of the lionesses swiped at the backlight of his car. "The back of my car slid over the grass."
A fourth car stopped next to the Vissers, who managed to scuttle over into that car. Du Preez kept the lions at bay in the meantime by charging
them with his car.
Japie Mostert, head game ranger at the park, said visitors were cautioned to keep driving when lions approached. He said the movement of the cars probably disturbed the lions.
- Beeld