Pretoria - Three years ago, a search for rhino poachers in the Kruger National Park went horribly wrong when a member of the South African Defence Force (SANDF) shot a section ranger in the back and buttocks.
The officer said he had mistaken South African National Parks ranger Andre Desmet, who is stationed at Letaba camp, for a poacher.
Desmet is now claiming R2.1 million in damages against the SANDF as well as the man who shot him, Lieutenant Jacques Nel, in the High Court in Pretoria.
Judge Mabel Jansen has ordered that the SANDF had to pay the damages, the amount of which would be determined at a later stage.
Desmet said in papers before the court that on May 24, 2013, he was asked to assist members of the SANDF and in particular Nel, to earmark a suitable lookout site in the park from where anti-rhino poaching operations could be conducted.
In searching for a spot, they saw three poachers in the distance. The group decided to try to apprehend them.
Nel and Desmet followed the footprints of the poachers, but at some stage lost contact with each other.
Desmet said that while he was busy stalking the poachers and getting closer to them, Nel suddenly fired several shots from behind at him with his military-issued rifle.
He was struck by several bullets - one penetrated his back and three in the buttocks, with a fifth striking him in the foot.
He had to be airlifted to hospital in Nelspruit where he underwent about eight emergency operations. He was in ICU for about five weeks and in a general ward for another five weeks.
Desmet is blaming Nel and the SANDF for his injuries, claiming Nel was negligent in shooting him.
Nel, a battle field surveillance troop, said it was an accident. He explained that during their operation he lost sight of Desmet in thick bush. Nel said he approached a tree where he had seen the poachers heading to, when he noticed a person crawling towards the tree. Nel believed it was a poacher, and switched on the torch on his rifle.
He said it was dark and there were bushes between him and the “poacher”.
According to him, he saw a firearm pointed at him through the bushes and he realised “I had to shoot or be shot”.
He then fired several shots, before realising it was Desmet.
The severely injured Desmet injected himself with adrenaline while Nel called for help. A doctor said this probably saved his life. He said this was a “near-death experience” for Desmet.
He was diagnosed with suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder following the incident.
The doctor told the court that “he will physically and emotionally be scarred for life”.
Pretoria News
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