Hiker mugged, breaks leg in Cape Town

2011-11-21 08:16

Cape Town - A hiker fell off a ledge, broke a leg and bruised his ribs while running away from three muggers armed with a knife on Table Mountain at the weekend, The Cape Times newspaper reported on Monday.

JJ Badenhorst, 33, a businessman from Green Point, was attacked while walking with his friend Thea Burger on the Karbonkel Mountain, which is part of Table Mountain National Park, in Hout Bay.

"While we were walking, we saw three men behind us. They looked suspicious and we felt unsafe. We started walking through the bushes, not on the normal route, to try and get away.

"Suddenly, the three men were just behind us. We started running downhill," Badenhorst said.

Fell

He and Burger fell from a ledge. Burger landed on her feet, sustaining a few cuts and bruises, but Badenhorst fractured his left leg and bruised some ribs.

"We fell and then rolled. We were trying to grip on to vegetation to stop ourselves. I fell about 10 to 15 metres.

"We fell from one section on to a hiking trail. I could feel I broke my leg. I shouted to Thea to run. The three men were definitely chasing us. They wanted to run after Thea, but saw I couldn’t go anywhere and stole the stuff I had. They are definitely professionals.

"They knew what they were doing," he said.

Badenhorst said the mugger who threatened him with a knife had scars on his face and his eyes squinted. He could not immediately recall finer details or how the other two looked."

The attack on Saturday is the latest in a string of incidents on parts of Table Mountain.

Three days ago tourists were attacked and a woman was mugged in Cecilia Forest, near Constantia.

Two men were arrested for the incident.

- SAPA