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The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, says 57-year-old Ranger, Joe Nkuna, was making a steady recovery after being severely injured by an elephant in the Kruger National Park in December.
Creecy visited Nkuna on Saturday in a Johannesburg Private Hospital and said his medical team is pleased with his progress and he will be starting physiotherapy soon.
Nkuna, a ranger with 32 years of experience, was hospitalised on 20 December 2022 after being charged by an elephant while on patrol in the Pretoriuskop section of the park.
“The severity of his injuries resulted in him being placed on life support in the Intensive Care Unit at a private hospital in Johannesburg where he is making a steady recovery,” she said.
Creecy said what happened to Ranger Nkuna was tragic, adding that he had endured multiple surgeries since the accident, but cannot wait to return to bush patrol.
“Rangers are our heroes and face danger every time they go into the bush to perform their duties,” she added.
