Women should not be allowed in the Drakensberg

[Gary Mortimer]

I have spent the night worrying and wondering.

Its is such a shame that women are not safe in the Berg.

So maybe they should be banned?

[Nic Shaw]

Although I asked her to pull out I find it highly disappointing that Chris had to retreat because of safety concerns. She was doing really well and was on track to set the femal record for the Grand Traverse. Something has got to be done about the security in the 'berg. Dagga smugglers and cattle rustlers (the same people normally) have free reign and between SANDF, SAPS and KZNW nobody seems to be able to do anything about it! Sorry, Chris.

[Chris Sommer]

It must have been a difficult thing to do Nic but I think that was the right decision. The thought of her heading alone towards the Giants Castle area leaves me cold. That said, congratulations Christine on what you did do!

There are some success stories in this problem. Some of the shepherds from the Easter 2005 incident at Giants Castle were prosecuted, and very recently some smugglers caught in the Northern berg were sentenced to several years in prison.

The problem in my view is much more complex than it seems on the surface, and it's also not a recent occurrence, the roots extend quite far back. As mentioned in previous comments, there is stuff brewing and my hope is that the risks can be significantly reduced in time.

I would'nt like to exclude woman either, Gary, though I'm not comfortable with the thought of them doing it in ones and twos. There are several risky areas, the worst probably being the Jarateng valley.

[Eddie Forster]

I dont think women should be banned, since when has anything us men say ever stopped a woman? If anything it will make them do it on their own and without any outside support, just to prove a bloody point... The risk factor is what makes this a one-of-a-kind event, otherwise it would be just another ultra-marathon to add to one's portfolio See it from this perspective, we are sitting here arguing about the issue from the comfort of our nice warm armchairs, when they actually have more balls than us to actually go out there and do it, knowing the risks at hand for a group of women!!! I think that says enough...


Eddie Forster
(TWA, Laura's son)

[Chris Sommer]

I'm not in favour of woman being banned either. They are as capable as anyone else and haven proven this yet again through this event. I have enormous respect for Christine, Fiona and Laura!

The concern for security is still a very valid one, and it's not a really a question of being capable or not. I for one would not easily solo in the Berg, especially the Giants Castle area. I actually have spent several days alone in the Berg before and my encounters with the Basotho were a wake-up call to me and I was fortunate to get away unharmed and with my gear intact. Encountering them when you are in a group is a different story.

Of the several muggings and violent assaults in the Giant's area over recent years, I seem to remember 2 disturbing cases involving woman on their own in the last 2 years or so. If only it were simply mugging, but being hurled with rocks and rape is very troubling.

If my memory serves me correctly, David Bristow aborted an attempt on the GT because of a threatening encounter. His partner dropped out at Sani and he was intending to finish off alone but only got a day or so further.

Should anything happen on an event co-ordinated from this site, Nick and Gary would come under a lot of criticism. The Grand Traverse and even the Berg would also get negative publicity. I'm not sure how the authorities managing the Berg would react to it.

I can suggest the following ideas for reducing the security risk:

* Organising the event during times when there are less Basotho on the escarpment. This time of year is actually fairly good in this respect. Mid-summer through to early winter there seem to be a lot more shepherds and smugglers around.

* Planning the route so that no resting/sleeping is done in the risky areas, since ambushes on campsites tend to happen more easily than when hikers are on the move.

* Placing marshals in areas such as the Jarateng valley.

* I always carry a good quality pepper spray with me when in the Berg. While its no guarantee it does give you a better chance of defending yourself - even against the shepherd dogs.

While I do not want to give this morbid topic more attention than it deserves, I do feel that it should be addressed adequately. I am in favour of an event such as this - where it is planned and co-ordinated, I am in favour of woman competing in it, and know what it is to be "out there" and doing it, please don't misunderstand me on that.