NOT many men who have been attacked by a lion live to tell the tale, yet Isaac le Roux (48) did.
But it seems his story of survival only brought him more problems.
That’s because Isaac’s former employer, a farmer at a game lodge between Vryburg and Mahikeng in North West, allegedly refused to compensate him after the ordeal.
Isaac, from Amelia near Schweizer-Reneke told Daily Sun the incident happened in November at Leeuwbosch Game Lodge in Setlagole.
He said his former employer, Dr Deon Engelbrecht, ordered him to shoot 12 lions with darts.
“Another lion, which had been caged, got out and attacked me.
“I tried to get behind a tree, but the lion caught my leg and started biting me,” he said.
Colleagues scared the lion away and got it back into the cage.
Isaac blamed the owner, claiming the fence at the lodge was not up to standard and was only fixed after the incident.
“He forced me to dart lions knowing it wasn’t my job.
“There was no professional hunter or veterinarian present, as the law requires,” he claimed.
He claimed Engelbrecht, a medical doctor, begged him not to report the matter and stitched him up. He allegedly kept him at the lodge against his will after stitching his wounds.
Isaac said Engelbrecht promised to compensate him on condition he didn’t report the matter. But when Isaac returned to work earlier this year, Engelbrecht allegedly became hostile and broke his promise. Isaac then decided to resign.
Police spokesman Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said no case was opened because Isaac darted the lion while on duty. He said Isaac indicated he wanted compensation and was advised about the legal action he can take against the owner.
Carel van Heerden, Engelbrecht’s lawyer, said his client was in the process of taking legal action against Isaac and his brother, and declined to comment at this stage.