WATCH: Community pulls together to rescue calf from cave

On Wednesday night, 14 April Conserv Security received a call from Herman van der Merwe, one of their clients, whose neighbour alerted them about a Brahman calf that had fallen into a cave.

Miraculously the calf was still alive and Herman gave it water and fodder to see it through the night.

The Conserv Security office kicked into gear and just before midnight, plans were finalised to rescue the calf the next morning at 6am.

WATCH HERE:

The two-hour mission started with scene assessment by rope-rescue experts Neil Norquoy and Dawie de Villiers who were joined by Jaco Uys and Wickus Lotz, as well as two staff members from the farm.

The cave entrance had to be cleared of trees, a tripod was erected, a block and tackle was secured, and it was all systems go for the determined rescue team.

Wickus and Xander van Wyk, equipped with a net, were lowered into a very narrow entrance and in a very narrow restricted area they executed their plan to secure a weak calf in the presence of a hissing snake, which no one saw, but could be heard.

The well-organised team successfully hoisted the calf out of the cave to safety, and once it was on the surface the bewildered calf was given water and it immediately started to graze.

“It is wonderful to know that by communicating to one person you can rely on many more. I let Trevor Roberts from Conserv Security know that “die kalf is in die put” at 9pm, and by 10.30pm all arrangements were in place. By 4:30am everybody was ready and as promised, by 6am people pitched up. The owner of the calf and the property was not there, however that did not stop the rescue operation. This shows the spirit of this community; I am proud to be living alongside them. Thanks to all and a special thanks to Trevor for being the kingpin,” said Herman>