Johannesburg - The 16-year-old boy who was mauled by a hyena in the Kruger National Park at the weekend is “making remarkable progress”.
According to SA National Parks (SANParks), Erco Janse van Rensburg, known to his loved ones as “Boela”, is still under sedation in the intensive care unit at Milpark Hospital in Joburg and making good progress in his recovery.
The Janse van Rensburgs, of Pretoria, were camping at the Crocodile Bridge Camp in the Kruger Park, and while sleeping in their tent, a hyena attacked Erco during the early hours of Sunday.
He was rushed to the Medi-Clinic in Mbombela, where he was stabilised and flown to Milpark Hospital. “Upon arrival, the trauma specialists prepared him for a 10-hour- long operation during which a team, consisting of various specialised surgeons, successfully carried out extensive facial reconstructive surgery,” SANParks said on Wednesday.
The teenager’s mother, Cashandra Janse van Rensburg, said the family were “unbelievably and deeply touched by the support, prayers and empathy of people right across the world, known and unknown to Boela”.
“This is what carries us through this difficult time.”
SANParks chief executive Fundisile Mketeni visited the hospital and met the Janse van Rensburg family.
Mketeni expressed his heartfelt sympathy and shock.
“It is also proper to thank everybody who has been there to assist with the situation from the time when Erco called for help all the way to the hospital where he is now, and we wish him a speedy recovery,” he said.
“SANParks will continue to support and work with the family until Erco is back on his feet again and is doing all the things he likes doing as a teenager, and progress on his recovery will be communicated at an opportune time,” he said.