WATCH: 'I was pushed off cliff while hiking in Newlands'

Ebrahim Dawood was pushed off a cliff after being attacked by three robbers in Newlands forest. Picture: David Ritchie

Ebrahim Dawood was pushed off a cliff after being attacked by three robbers in Newlands forest. Picture: David Ritchie

Published Feb 24, 2017

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Cape Town - When Grassy Park resident and first-time hiker Ebrahim Dawood was pushed off a 15-metre cliff after being attacked by three robbers, he thought it was the end of his life.

Dawood believes if it was not for the German Shepherd named Wander from the K9 unit and for the Wilderness Search and Rescue Services, chances of him being found alive were slim.

He had sustained head injuries and several bruises to his body.

The 36-year-old had gone hiking for the first time with his family in Newlands Forest on Sunday but separated from them when he decided to take a different trail. As he was about to complete his 15m climb, Dawood saw three men smoking what he believed was Mandrax.

Speaking to the Cape Times on Thursday after being released from hospital, Dawood said: “I had made sure to climb next to a solid tree and branches so that if I slipped, I was safe. When I got to the top, I saw three guys smoking Mandrax.

“They had caps on. They had jeans on. They were very ragged. They seemed like they lived in the mountains. As I pulled up, the one asked me something in Afrikaans and I immediately got into defensive mode.”

He said one of the suspects charged at him but he fought back. “The other came and I kicked him also. The third one pulled out a knife and the other two grabbed me and took whatever was in my pocket, which is my cellphone and R300 and they pushed me literally off the cliff.”

Dawood managed to hang on to a branch after being pushed before landing heavily on a rock.

“I could not find my footing because first I was trying to grab (onto something before I) reached the ground. I landed flat on my back. At least that is what I recall. Looking at the bruises on the side of my body, I landed on the side. I landed on a half-rock, and half a broken tree,” he said.

“I woke up in the middle of the night. I remember seeing stars, beautiful stars. It was extremely cold and I dug myself into the sand as much as I could.

“As soon as the sun came up, I got up, the survival instinct kicked in,” Dawood said.

Mountain rescuers found him far from where he had split from his family

“Thank the Lord for the Shepherd (dog) that saved me. She found me. I am extremely grateful for the work the rescue team did. I would have been a goner. The first thought that came into my mind was death.

“I will hike again, but I will stay with the crowd this time.”

Dawood believes his attackers did not feel any remorse when they pushed him off the cliff. “The anger I saw in their faces, wasn’t anger at me. It was anger at themselves. I don’t judge them but their actions. I wish them all the best so that they can get their lives together,” he said.

Cape Times

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