Soapie actress bitten by lion

2006-02-21 08:28

Eduan Roos

Johannesburg - One of the well-known actresses of the popular Afrikaans soap opera 7de Laan is recovering in a North West hospital after a tame lion at a prestigious game farm almost bit off her finger.

Doctors at the Ancronn Hospital in Klerksdorp worked for hours this weekend to stitch Elma Postma's right middle finger. She stars as Dezi Terblanche in 7de Laan.

The incident happened when Postma, her brother and their parents were visiting the Shingalana Game Farm just outside Klerksdorp at about 17:30 on Saturday.

Game farm owner Kobus Jacobs said Postma was stroking the lion through the camp fence. Her ring caught on one of the lion's claws. ''She got a fright and jerked her hand away. The lion - a two-year-old called Mashinga - became confused and bit her hand badly.''

Jacobs said Postma bled heavily but his son Frikkie, who was with Postma's group, managed to get her hand out of the lion's jaws and stop the bleeding.

''We did a special favour for Elma. She'd always wanted to stroke a lion and we didn't think it would turn out like that,'' Jacobs said.

''Other people have done it before without Mashinga biting them. It was absolutely a freak accident and we'll definitely not have the lion put down.''

Jacobs rushed Postma and her family to hospital where she was operated on later.

A spokesperson for 7de Laan, Elsa Krüger, said though one of Postma's fingers was almost pulled off during the accident, doctors could save it during the operation.

''The chances are good that her hand will heal fully, but doctors still fear the wound could become infected. That is often more dangerous than the injury,'' Krüger said.

Postma who is still under sedation in hospital told Beeld she was ''paralysed with fear''.

''I still have my hand and though it was torn open, nothing's broken.

I'm not angry at all with the lion,'' she said. ''I'll have to wait at least a week or so before I can begin working again.''

Postma also said it was a freak accident. ''It's no one's fault and everyone gave me wonderful support.

''My ring had to be removed from the lion's mouth. It's not a special ring - just a pretty ring with a red stone.

''I feel so silly about it happening and it made me realise again that one shouldn't think a lion is a kitten.''

Krüger said Postma's absence from the set of 7de Laan caused quite a flurry at the studio where the soap opera is made.

''We had to postpone her scenes which were to have been recorded this week. We're now making plans to keep her injured hand out of the camera shots.''

- Beeld