MACHADODORP – A couple’s preparations for a family vacation in October had a tragic twist when Judy Pentz (62) fell down a cliff on Saturday.

She and her husband Peter Pentz (61) were hiking the Num-Num Trail between Machadodorp and Badplaas.

They are experienced hikers who have been walking trails since their early 20s.
Each weekend the couple from Rust de Winter in Limpopo look for a new place to journey on foot. This trail in the Mpumalanga Highlands was in preparation for a planned vacation, with family from England and Zimbabwe, to Annapurna near Kathmandu, Nepal.

Judy recently had her left hip replaced and was not yet confident in the strength of her left side.
Shortly after breakfast as they were climbing a steep incline, she tried to take pressure off her left foot, but slipped. She lost her footing and rolled about 2,5 metres down.

“I knew my ankle was broken,” an emotional Judy told Lowvelder from her hospital bed yesterday. “I feared that the worst would happen.”
With no cellphone signal, Peter decided to go seek help. It was about 09:30. At about 12:00 Peter had yet not returned.

Two young men who were also hiking, chanced upon Judy. Her water had run out and they returned to their campsite to fetch her water.

From their camp they phoned the Off Road Rescue Unit. Peter returned to the trail and met a family from Hartebeespoort. They accompanied him back to Judy.
The terrain made it very difficult for emergency crews to reach them. They arrived at about 16:30.

According to Albert Gryvenstein of Bossies Community Justice, they received a call-out concerning the incident.
They attended the scene with ER24 and the Off Road Rescue Unit. “It was too risky for the rescue team to carry her up from where she had fallen,” Gryvenstein said.

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Medics splinted her foot and put her on a stretcher.
“We asked for assistance from the South African National Air Force. It sent a chopper from Hoedspruit. It took us almost an hour to walk to the scene of the accident. It would have been possible to carry her up, but then we would have finished on Sunday afternoon, and not on Saturday.

“Dr Pieter Scheepers, who was with us, treated Judy on the scene. She was in a lot of pain. She was hoisted onto the helicopter and flown to Mediclinc Nelspruit. Her condition improved in hospital,” said Gryvenstein.
Judy’s dislocated ankle was relocated to its correct position, but X-rays showed fractures. She was expected to undergo surgery today.

Emergency services cautioned the public to be careful when hiking in remote areas.
Judy agreed that hikers must never go alone, and tell as many people as possible where they are going. She thanked everyone for their support and help in getting her off the mountain.
“I feel bad because I’ll miss the planned family trip. But as soon as I’ve recovered I will be back on the hiking trails.”

The woman and her husband had been walking the summit track of the mountains.

The terrain made it very difficult for emergency crews to reach them.
According to Albert Gryvenstein of Bossies Community Justice, they received a call out about a couple that needed help.

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They attended the scene with the ER24 and Off Road Rescue Unit.
“It was too risky for the rescue team to carry her up from where she had fallen. We asked for assistance from the South African National Air Force who sent a chopper from Hoedspruit.

“Dr Pieter Scheepers, who was with us, treated her on the scene. She was in a lot of pain. She was flown to Nelpruit Mediclinc. Her condition is improving in hospital,” said Gryvenstein.

Emergency services have cautioned the public to be careful when hiking in remote areas.