What began as a routine hike on Paarl Mountain turned into a terrifying fight for survival for a local female outdoor enthusiast who narrowly escaped an attempted rape on Saturday 22 February.
The victim, a regular hiker and runner on the mountain, was on a trail near Victoria Dam when her attacker struck. To add to the chilling circumstances she was on a video call with her sister when she saw a reflection on her phone screen of someone lurking behind her.
Realising she couldn’t escape uphill, the woman made a split-second decision to turn around and attempt to run past her stalker back towards Jan Phillips Mountain Drive. But her attacker threw a rock at her and overpowered her, violently throwing her to the ground.
“It was evident he wanted to rape me,” the woman related. “I did everything in my power to force him off me.”
A desperate struggle took place in the bushes just off the Mountain Drive. After fighting intensely she eventually managed to break free from her assailant’s grip. The woman ran onto the road screaming for help, and approximately 20 m further hikers came to her assistance, followed by joggers.
The community’s response was swift. Messages were immediately posted on neighbourhood-watch groups, alerting police and municipal law enforcement. A search party was quickly formed to locate the attacker.
Several hikers spotted the suspect near the area known as the Bat Cave, but he fled further into the mountain. In a stroke of luck two runners who had heard about the incident via community alerts encountered the suspect at Christmas Camp. When confronted he immediately surrendered, raising his hands and dropping the woman’s cellphone.
Meanwhile, she had been taken to Paarl Police Station to make her statement. While there, a police officer called her cellphone number. One of the joggers who had apprehended the suspect answered, informing police they had captured the assailant.
The suspect, identified as 22-year-old Tino Beukes, was remanded in custody until 4 March, on charges of sexual assault and robbery.
Despite her traumatic ordeal the woman expressed immense gratitude. “I am very lucky to have escaped with only cuts, scrapes and bruises.” She praised the Paarl community members who came to her rescue and helped track her attacker down, and the police, whom she described as “extremely helpful and sympathetic”.
This incident highlights ongoing safety concerns on Paarl Mountain, where several similar attacks on outdoor enthusiasts have been reported. Local police continue to advise hikers, runners, and cyclists to travel in groups and stick to busier areas of the mountain if possible.
