Dr Roxanne Schutte addressing the media with Sibusiso Vilane an experienced mountaineer at OR Tambo Airport, Vilane who led the a group of South Africans who climbed Mt Kilimanjaro where race car driver Gugu Zulu died while attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.512 Photo: Matthews Baloyi 20/07/2016 Dr Roxanne Schutte addressing the media with Sibusiso Vilane an experienced mountaineer at OR Tambo Airport, Vilane who led the a group of South Africans who climbed Mt Kilimanjaro where race car driver Gugu Zulu died while attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.512 Photo: Matthews Baloyi 20/07/2016
Johannesburg - A sea of emotion washed over Sibusiso Vilane as he expressed his sorrow over losing Gugu Zulu on Mount Kilimanjaro.
The Trek4Mandela expedition leader and experienced mountaineer broke down in tears during a media briefing at OR Tambo International Airport last night.
“It was on Wednesday last week when I stood up and said... to your fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters who have come to bid you farewell; as the leader of the Trek4Mandela Caring4Girls Kilimanjaro expedition, my role is to make sure that I bring those you have come to say goodbye to back safely and alive.”
Vilane was speaking moments after the group touched down at the airport. “I’m very disappointed to say I did not deliver on that promise,” he said, choking up.
The media conference panel included Gauteng Sport and Recreation MEC Faith Mazibuko and Sport and Recreation Minister Fikile Mbalula.
Vilane wasn't the only one who was overwhelmed during the proceedings; a woman in the crowd wailed as they heard of Zulu’s last hours.
Vilane, who has summited Kilimanjaro 19 times, added: “I made a joke that I may be called Simba, which means lion, but I don’t eat humans. Today I feel like I’ve eaten one of them and I’m not too proud of myself.”
Fellow climber Cas Coovadia rubbed his eyes as they glazed over. He said that when he spoke to Zulu’s wife Letshego after his death, she said: “If God wanted Gugu at that point in time, then God wanted Gugu.”
Climbers, media and family members were moved to tears as Nelson Mandela Foundation chief executive Sello Hatang spoke of the good cause that Zulu died for.
The climbers were part of the Trek4Mandela expedition, which sponsors the Caring4Girls social campaign. Hatang urged the public to pledge to the fund in Zulu’s memory.
Gugu didn’t look sick, doctor said
He spoke in defence of the Tanzanian government, who he said had done everything they could to help Zulu and support his family.
The doctor who sent Zulu back down the mountain, Roxanne Schutte, sniffled and looked down her red nose as she spoke of how Zulu didn’t look sick until the night his condition suddenly dipped.
She spoke of the moment he took a turn for the worse. “I heard a loud shout and screaming at about 8pm. Gugu was unconscious and had this raspy breath. But he had a strong pulse. He left Kibo in a critical state but he was stable.”
As each panellist took their turn to speak, they cleared their throats and spoke slowly, gathering their emotions. Some broke into tears as they spoke.
Hatang said Zulu’s body was expected to be brought back to the country on Friday.
The Star
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