A family has vowed to never visit the Company’s Garden in Cape Town ever again after they were recently attacked by a swarm of bees.
Speaking to The Daily Voice, Stanton May (39), said he visited the Garden with his family over the weekend and they were left traumatised by their experience.
May, along with his wife, their four children, mother-in-law, niece and five-year-old daughter were all rushed to Somerset Hospital via ambulance after being stung by “hundreds of bees” over the weekend. Following the incident, they now blame the City of Cape Town for not removing the bees nest sooner.
According to May, the family went to the Garden to celebrate their baby’s first birthday and treat the children to an outdoor trip. The family concluded shopping in the CBD before settling in the famous garden.
Just after 1pm, his wife and her mother walked to purchase lunch for the family while May stayed and watched over the children.
“When they returned, a man behind the bench shouted they must cover themselves, and all hell broke loose,” he said. “Hundreds of bees, probably from a disturbed hive, came for me and my family and we could do nothing.”
He said when he glanced over at his wife, he saw her covered in bees from head to toe.
“They completely covered her face and arms and I felt helpless as I could not help her or the children. She told me to help the children and keep them away from her,” May said. “The kids had to have the bees and their stings removed at the hospital. They screamed and cried and threw their food away. The gardens were full, but nobody came to our rescue.”
Two vagrants and another man came to the family’s assistance to help them remove the stings. May’s mother-in-law began vomiting after she was stung, as she is severely allergic to bee stings.
“My mother fainted and the doctors gave her an adrenaline shot and said she nearly did not make it,” he said.
May added that a squirrel was killed in the bee attack.
Mayco Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Zahid Badroodien, said that the department became aware of the beehive as a result of this incident.
The beehive has now been removed.
Picture: Pixabay
