JOHANNESBURG: A sea of emotion washed over Sibusiso Vilane as he expressed his sorrow over losing Gugu Zulu on Mount Kilimanjaro.
The Trek4Mandela expedition leader and experienced mountaineer broke down in tears during a media briefing at OR Tambo International Airport.
"As the leader of the Trek4Mandela Caring4Girls Kilimanjaro expedition my role is to make sure that I bring those you have come to say goodbye to back safely and alive."
Vilane was speaking moments after the group touched down at the airport on Wednesday night.
“I’m very disappointed to say that I am did not deliver on that promise.”
The media conference panel included Gauteng MEC of Sports and Recreation Faith Mazibuko, and Sport and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula. Vilane was not the only one who was overwhelmed during the proceedings. A woman in the crowd wailed as they heard of Zulu’s last hours.
Vilane, who has summited Kilimanjaro 19 times, added: “I made a joke that I may be called Simba, which means lion, but I don’t eat humans. Today I feel like I’ve eaten one of them and I’m not too proud of myself.”
Fellow climber Cas Coovadia said when he spoke to Zulu’s wife Letshego following his death, she said: “If God wanted Gugu at that point in time, then God wanted Gugu.”
Climbers, media and family members were moved to tears as Sello Hatang spoke of the good cause Zulu died for. The climbers were part of the Trek4Mandela expedition, which sponsors the Caring4Girls social campaign to raise funds to keep girls in school by providing them with the sanitary products they need.
Hatang urged the public to pledge to the fund in Zulu’s memory. He also spoke in defence of the Tanzanian government, who he said had done everything they could to help Zulu and support his family after he died.
According to Richard Mabaso, the trek co-ordinator, Zulu was carried from the Kibo base camp below the summit for 11km to Horombo camp, then 9km to Haramba camp, then another 4km to where a vehicle could access the mountain. He was then driven out of the mountain park to hospital.
Hatang said Zulu’s body was expected to be brought into the country today. His memorial service was to be held at the Kyalami racetrack.