Publications
Partners
Johannesburg - His mother is "die bliksem in" (furious) and his father feels sorry for him after a 22-year old man drove his expensive SUV into the ocean in Struisbaai.
Ernst Botha, the owner of the ill-fated Volkswagen Touareg, told Netwerk24 his parents "aren't very proud of him".
"I have to be held accountable for my own mistake," Botha said.
"The clubs were still open [on Tuesday night] when my friend and I decided to go to the beach with my 4x4. Don’t ask why."
It was low tide and the vehicle got stuck in the sand.
"We couldn’t call anyone. My phone got lost earlier that night and my friend's phone was flat. We had to run some distance to get help.
"When we got back to the car it was already too late to get it... out of the water, because it was high tide and the vehicle was in the water. We had to wait for low tide."
According to Botha, it was "a huge struggle" to get the vehicle out of the water.
"We made a few calls and got four [Toyota] Land Cruisers to help. Two winches and a few ropes later we managed to get the vehicle out. It was no easy task."
Botha has some advice for people considering a festive drive on the beach: "Don’t drive your car on the beach. That is all."
Botha said he has made an insurance claim, but hasn't heard from the company yet.
"I still have no idea what the damages are. But they had to tow it away. Because of the large amount of electronics in the car, I believe it will be totalled."
