Wine Industry Mourns Man Killed By Buffalo
Murray Williams
13 July 2010



The Cape wine industry is mourning the death of one of its best-loved figures after he was killed by a buffalo.

Johann Schmidt, of Somerset West, had been at the Mountain Zebra National Park near Cradock with his wife, Marie, and another couple, also from Somerset West.

The foursome set off on a 1km walking trail at the park at about 11am on Monday.

Megan Taplin, regional spokesperson for SANParks, said: "They came upon a solitary bull buffalo, surprised it, and it charged them a number of times."

The three survivors were admitted to Cradock Hospital and then airlifted to Port Elizabeth last night en route to Vergelegen Medi-Clinic in Somerset West. It was unclear what injuries they sustained.

At Lourensford Estate in Somerset West, where Schmidt was sales manager for South Africa and Africa, colleagues were in mourning.


Marketing chief executive Koos Jordaan said: "He was such a superb, unbelievably popular guy.

"He was 64 but looked like a 40-year-old, and had the spirit of a 30-year-old."

A former colleague, Thys Lombard of Tokara estate, said of Schmidt: "He knew everybody - from the top guys to the shelf-packers on the floor.

"He was a mentor to me - I will miss him dearly."

Taplin said visitors were warned about "potentially dangerous animals such as buffalo, rhino and cheetah".

Rangers had tried to track down the buffalo on Monday and would continue on Tuesday. All trails had been suspended.

It never ceases to amaze me that people will do this kind of thing.

What the hell do they expect?! These are dangerous animals, for God's sake!

The loss of life is unfortunate, but it's also predictable.

Sometimes it doesn't happen to the other guy.

Sometimes it happens to you!!!

Beats the Hell out of dying of cardiovascular disease.
Scott

yea but at 64 i would like to think he had a lot more years( since i am 62). flip side is that with stage 4 non Hodgkins lymphoma, i take NOTHING for granted and try to enjoy every moment as a gift from God.

I agree with you wholeheartedly jdollar. Lost my mother to cancer two years ago,she was only 60. Sure would like to have seen a few more years there. My comment was geared toward the mans livin life and out there enjoying it. Life truly is a gift from God.

Scott

A modern true life example of Egri Bikaver, also known as "Bulls Blood" perhaps ....

Michael Robinson

It did happen on a "1km" walking path which doesn't sound like being out in the bush -and, I do confess that I didn't check Kathi's geographical place names -but are buff found there so often that people should not be surprised to meet one? I'm with you if these people were idiotically walking in DG country -but might not this buff have been the exception that proves the rule? (Never walk in DG country unarmed without a big bore rifle for protection -carried by someone who knows how to use it) Just asking and welcome your comments.

Gerry, you hit the same nail on the head that I meant to hit with my comment.

I want a suitable firearm with me whenever I'm going anywhere that I might run into potentially dangerous animals.

I will reluctantly settle for having someone else along (preferably someone competent!) who is carrying the firearm, but I would rather it was me.

Having a firearm in such circumstances is no guarantee, of course.

But I like the odds a lot better if I'm armed and facing a threat, than if I'm left only to my natural (albeit not inconsiderable) charm and good looks!

And let's not forget that, according to the story, visitors were warned that potentially dangerous animals were about.

My point is simply that people can be amazingly reckless about this kind of thing.

Even hunters, and even professional hunters.

Too often, they are killed when they leave their rifles in the truck, or leaning against a tree, or in the hands of a gunbearer, or otherwise hors de combat.

But tourists especially (and even as concerns their children). I tend to think that it's too much Disney.

quote:

Originally posted by Gerrypeters375:

... -but are buff found there so often that people should not be surprised to meet one? ...

I don't think the Craddock area of the Eastern Cape has been considered "dangerous game" country for many years!

That said I believe that the Parks are all adding as many of the big five as they can to satisfy the demand. Even Addo Elephant Park just outside Port Elizabeth had many Buffalo, Lion, and elephant. Though I admit that the thought of going for a stroll there without a rifle never occured to me.

I think if you visit the Parks you must expect to see/encounter dangerous game these days.

Les

What are the Jouberts gonna say about that tragedy?

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
Gerry, you hit the same nail on the head that I meant to hit with my comment.

I want a suitable firearm with me whenever I'm going anywhere that I might run into potentially dangerous animals.

I will reluctantly settle for having someone else along (preferably someone competent!) who is carrying the firearm, but I would rather it was me.

Having a firearm in such circumstances is no guarantee, of course.

But I like the odds a lot better if I'm armed and facing a threat, than if I'm left only to my natural (albeit not inconsiderable) charm and good looks!

And let's not forget that, according to the story, visitors were warned that potentially dangerous animals were about.

My point is simply that people can be amazingly reckless about this kind of thing.

Even hunters, and even professional hunters.

Too often, they are killed when they leave their rifles in the truck, or leaning against a tree, or in the hands of a gunbearer, or otherwise hors de combat.

But tourists especially (and even as concerns their children). I tend to think that it's too much Disney.

People die on roads too, but yet they still get into cars ...

quote:

Originally posted by NitroX:

People die on roads too, but yet they still get into cars ...

Very true John...... but the sensible ones put their safety belts on before moving off.

I'm actually very surprised the lodge owners allowed them to walk in an area they must have known contained dangerous game without a firearm or an armed guide. - and would suspect they could probably expect a legal case bought against them for that failure.

quote:

It never ceases to amaze me that people will do this kind of thing.

What the hell do they expect?! These are dangerous animals, for God's sake!

The loss of life is unfortunate, but it's also predictable.

This happened on a reserve just up the road from me where hikers have been hiking for a very long time and have had no trouble with buffalo.
One of his family members is quoted as saying that, as a nature lover, he would rather have died this way than any other.

quote:

Originally posted by Karoo:
This happened on a reserve just up the road from me where hikers have been hiking for a very long time and have had no trouble with buffalo.
One of his family members is quoted as saying that, as a nature lover, he would rather have died this way than any other.

One of the problems with human nature is that we become blase about things.

If there's dangerous game or indeed many other game, in an area, it's not a matter of if someone going to get stuffed up, it's just a matter of when.... and it doesn't even have to be a big animal that does it. Even bushbuck have been known to kill people.

Unfortunately, it's human nature to take the attitude of 'well it's never happened before'.

People are walking in Africa every day and often or most of the time without firearms. Sh*t happens.

Just like on the roads ...

quote:

Originally posted by NitroX:
People are walking in Africa every day and often or most of the time without firearms. Sh*t happens.

Just like on the roads ...

I don't disagree with you mate..... you're quite right but it doesn't alter the fact that this particular piece of shit probably wouldn't have happened if they'd had someone with them carrying a large calibre rifle..... and frankly, I'm surprised the lodge owners didn't make that a rule of walking in the reserve.. esp bearing in mind that the animals therein would almost certainly be habituated and lost some of their fear of mankind.

Very sad to hear about this news. If the trail concerned is the one that leads back up along the mountain around main camp, I can understand how 'relatively' safe it usually is. It is nice and open, and the buff usually hang out in the thick riverine bush during the day, which is not anywhere near the trail. The buff do move around the reserve though, have noticed fresh tracks on the path, but these would have been during the night/early morning. I have always been aware though of possibly bumping into them on foot, I just feel that it is pretty hard to do around camp, but very easy to do when you start straying into the thicker stuff.

The problem is no-one explains the rules to the animals and there's always the chance that they can appear where one doesn't expect them to be..... I've had lions in camp several times, including one or two occasions where they're actually walked in one door of the mess and out the other and it's even more common for elephants to come into camp (usually) after water.

Hell, it was only about seven years ago that the late Kay Hiscocks was killed in very similar circumstances...... and Kay was one of the most knowelageable people I've ever met when it came to animal behaviour. She was also one of the examiners of PHs for KZN....... and she'd have been the first person to admit her demise could be best described as death by stupidity.

quote:

Originally posted by NitroX:
Sh*t happens.

Some of us still prefer Semper paratus.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:

Some of us still prefer Semper paratus.

Am I missing something here. Why would some compare the expression to 'shit happens' to 'always ready'?

As I remember Stercus accidit means shit happens but personally I prefer the expression shit happens.

Michael Robinson

Thanks for your comments. (I must confess that I had overlooked the reference in Kathi's story about DG being around _ It sure supports the idea that idiotic behaviour was afoot. Perhaps years of watching "documentaries" that DG don't attack people who don't shoot at them (translation - Those bad hunters)influenced them. BTW, such idiocy is not confined to Africa. Every year I see American TV showing people photographing grizzlies crossing a highway and people approaching as close as 50 feet or so. This is the same grizzly that people in the back country know to treat with great respect because of its sheer unpredictabilty ( males as well as a female with cubs) People will simply refuse to believe that a "dangerous animal" is just that - a dangerous animal -and then tragedy results.

Someone needs to have a serious talk with that buffalo.

quote:

Originally posted by shakari:

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:

Some of us still prefer Semper paratus.

Am I missing something here. Why would some compare the expression to 'shit happens' to 'always ready'?

Semper paratus is the motto of the United States Coast Guard.

It means, "Always prepared."

I could have quoted the Boy Scout motto: "Be prepared."

There is a difference between being ready and being prepared.

One can be ready, yet not be prepared.

As in the current case.

I am sure that Johann Schmidt and his friends were ready to take a nature walk.