Hello 

Create Profile

Creating your profile will enable you to submit photos and stories to get published on News24.


Please provide a username for your profile page:

This username must be unique, cannot be edited and will be used in the URL to your profile page across the entire 24.com network.

Settings

Location Settings

News24 allows you to edit the display of certain components based on a location. If you wish to personalise the page based on your preferences, please select a location for each component and click "Submit" in order for the changes to take affect.









Facebook Sign-In

Hi News addict,

Join the News24 Community to be involved in breaking the news.

Log in with Facebook to comment and personalise news, weather and listings.

 
 

Bee swarm 'too big, aggressive'

2005-11-08 08:10
line

Johannesburg - Paramedics looked on helplessly on Monday afternoon as a giant swarm of bees stung an elderly woman to death and also severely stung her husband.

The swarm attacked the couple on Monday afternoon after their car crashed into a substation in Senderwood, Johannesburg, where the swarm was making its hive.

Paramedics struggled for about 20 minutes to reach the couple while more than 100 000 bees furiously attacked them.

The elderly man lost control of his Jeep Cherokee at 14:00 when a bakkie hit the side of the Jeep in Club Street. The Jeep crashed over the kerb and ploughed into the substation.

The swarm had made its hive in the substation's ceiling and within seconds fell upon the couple while they were still in the wreckage.

Swarm too big, aggressive

''The man got out and fell over (he'd broken a leg in the collision). He screamed for help while the bees swarmed over him. He tried to crawl. We threw a blanket to him but he couldn't reach it. The woman, 60, stood for a while and then collapsed.

''It was terrible. The ambulance men could not get near them, the swarm was too big and aggressive,'' said domestic worker Sina Mokoena who lives across the street from the scene of the accident.

Another bystander said the pair had been so thickly covered in bees that he couldn't see their faces or arms.

While paramedics of Netcare 911 struggled to reach the couple, the fire brigade was summoned to hose down the bees.

''One of the neighbours eventually lent a paramedic his bee-keeping gear. He dragged the people out of the swarm and tried to treat them. It looked as if the people were wearing jerseys, the bees covered them so thickly,'' said Netcare spokesperson Paul Nel.

Honeycomb about 3 m long

The woman died at the scene. She had thousands of bee stings on her face, neck and arms. Her husband was raced to the Linksfield Hospital where he is now stable and being treated in the high-care unit for the stings and a broken leg.

Members of the Johannesburg metro police cordoned off the accident scene and closed part of Club Street to traffic, while some of the bees also attacked them from time to time.

Bee-catcher Jacques van Niekerk was summoned to spray and kill the swarm inside the substation so that the accident scene could be cleared.

He said the swarm of over 100 000 must have lived in the substation for about 10 years. ''The honeycomb was about 3m long, 2m wide and at least 30cm thick. It's one of the biggest hives and swarms I've seen in 10 years,'' he said.

He believes the tragedy may have been prevented if City Power inspected the substations regularly to ensure that swarms were removed before they got so big and became a danger.

Entomologist Professor Erik Holm said about 100 bee stings would be enough to kill someone.

inside news24

 
1 of 10

140
1

Latest comment in South Africa

lhfick says... That is the reason why I said- Give them all the land they want, because in the end they will just take it anyway. At this point of time farmers are paying with their lives to provide them with food and it won`t belong before our water can`t used to farm or even drink!!! Read the article...

 
Traffic
Lottery
 
  • Friday Carletonville - 10:01 AM
    Road name: N14
    ROAD CLOSED due to a large sink-hole between the two Carletonville exits - traffic is diverted onto a local bypass route
  • Sunday Volksrust - 07:33 AM
    Road name: N11 Both Ways
    Stop / go controls for construction works at Majuba Pass - expect delays between Volksrust and Newcastle
  • Monday Centurion - 15:41 PM
    Road name: Jean Avenue
    ROAD CLOSED between Rabie Street and Gerhard Street for sink hole repair works
 
More traffic reports...
 

Jobs [change area]

Cars[change area]

VOLKSWAGEN

Polo Classic 1.6 Trendline MY05
2006
R 114,995.00

AUDI

A4 2.0 TDi Ambition Dsl MY09 Multitronic
2010
R 289,900.00

FORD

Fiesta 1.6 Titanium 3-dr MY10
2009
R 154,950.00

Property [change area]

Travel - Look, Book, Go!

Romance at the President

Spend two nights at the Protea Hotel President in Cape Town from R2601 per person sharing. Includes return flights, taxes, car hire and accommodation. Book Now!

Kalahari.com - shop online today

The Big Mama Sale

The Big Mama Sale is now on. Get up to 80% off Books, Music, DVDs, Games, Electronics, Toys & Gifts. Shop now.

Electronics on Sale

Up to 80% off electronics + 24hr delivery. Shop now.

50% Off Educo toys

Join the Big Mama Sale madness at kalahari.com and get 50% off all Educo toys for your kids. Terms and conditions apply. Shop now.

Books on Sale

Up to 80% off books & 1000s Of books to choose from. First come, first served. While stocks last. Shop now.

Blu-ray special offer

Buy 10 blu-rays and get a free Sony blu-ray player. Offer valid while stocks last. Shop now.

OLX Free Classifieds [change area]

Drain & Pipe Inspection System

For Sale, Garage Sale in South Africa, Gauteng, Johannesburg. Date January 21

2011 Mazda 2 1.5 Dynamic

Vehicles, Cars in South Africa, Gauteng, Johannesburg. Date January 22

Estimator

Jobs, Engineering Jobs - Architecture Jobs in South Africa, Gauteng, Johannesburg. Date January 21

The Big Mama Sale

The Big Mama Sale is now on. Get up to 80% off Books, Music, DVDs, Games, Electronics, Toys & Gifts. Shop now.

Visit www.kalahari.com for millions of books, music, DVDs, games & more!

BlackBerry Bold 9700

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 smartphone has a large, hi-res screen...

From R2800.00

I'm shopping for:

A local community where you can meet people, upload photos, videos and loads more...
There are new stories on the homepage. Click here to see them.