Ubuntu alive and well as rescue team thanks community, retailer after cliff dog rescue

Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) expressed its heartfelt gratitude to Woolworths and community members for its support following a dramatic night-time cliff rescue, where a German Shorthaired Pointer named Sable was safely recovered from an 80-metre drop at Hillcrest Estate.

WSAR teams worked alongside the City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services to reach the animal using a technical rope system.

In a post-incident statement, WSAR thanked Woolworths, specifically the Emporium store at The Village Square in Durbanville, for what it described as a thoughtful and well-timed gesture of support to exhausted volunteers.

What began as a high-risk technical rescue has since gained attention for its lighter aftermath, with WSAR volunteers jokingly referring to the moment as “droëwors diplomacy”.

WSAR said that while its teams are accustomed to prolonged call-outs in difficult terrain and complex rescues, community gestures remain an important part of sustaining morale.

“Small acts of kindness go a long way in lifting spirits once the helmets come off and the ropes are packed away,” the organisation noted.

The rescue has also been praised as an example of strong inter-agency coordination between volunteer and municipal emergency services, with officials highlighting the professionalism required to extract the animal safely from difficult terrain.

City officials previously commended the teams involved, noting the effectiveness of the joint operational response under challenging conditions.

Sable has since returned home and is recovering well, reportedly favouring calmer activities over further cliffside exploration.

IOL