Well-known businessmen mauled to death by a lion in Namibia
A remote and normally tranquil corner of northwestern Namibia has become the focus of a tragic wildlife attack after a well-known German businessman and conservation advocate, Bernd Kebbel, was mauled to death by a lion during a luxury safari.
The incident occurred at the Hoanib Skeleton Coast Camp, located in the Sesfontein Conservancy, an area famed for its rugged beauty and the rare desert-adapted lions that roam freely across the arid landscape.
According to authorities, the 59-year-old Kebbel was killed in the early hours of the morning after stepping outside his tent.
Kebbel had been on safari with his wife and friends, enjoying a peaceful evening under the stars.
According to a statement from Namibia's Ministry of Environment, Kebbel exited his tent around dawn, unaware that a lion had ventured close to the campsite.
The lion pounced without warning.
Despite frantic attempts by those nearby to drive the animal off, it was too late. By the time help arrived and the lion retreated, Kebbel had succumbed to his injuries.
The tragedy is especially bitter given Kebbel's long-standing involvement in conservation.
A successful entrepreneur and founder of Off-Road-Centre, a company that specialised in safari vehicle outfitting, Kebbel was also known for his philanthropic efforts to protect Namibia's wildlife.
His death at the jaws of the very animals he worked to preserve adds a grim layer of irony to the incident.
'He loved Namibia's wild spaces,' a friend told local media.
'That's what drew him back again and again.'
Namibian police have launched a full investigation into the attack, while the Ministry of Environment has dispatched officials to the site to assess risk levels and determine whether further action needs to be taken regarding the lion or broader camp safety protocols.
The desert-adapted lions of the Skeleton Coast are a unique and endangered population, numbering just 60 adults according to recent conservation estimates.
These lions are highly valued by researchers for their ability to survive in one of the most extreme environments on earth, but increasing human-wildlife conflict, driven by food scarcity and habitat encroachment, has pushed them closer to tourist camps and rural communities.
Kebbel's death is the latest in a growing list of incidents that have reignited debate about the dangers of ecotourism and the fragile balance between wildlife conservation and human safety.
In April, a teenage girl in Kenya was killed by a lion on a ranch adjacent to Nairobi National Park, prompting outcry from both conservationists and rural communities.
Namibia itself has come under scrutiny after approving the controversial culling of hundreds of wild animals in 2024, including elephants, in an effort to manage drought-induced food insecurity.
With tourism being a key pillar of Namibia's economy and a vital source of funding for conservation, the government now faces mounting pressure to enhance safety protocols while preserving the wildness that draws visitors from around the world.
Bernd Kebbel is survived by his wife and two children. Post your condolences below, by …
Leaving a comment below, or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1
Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
World's oldest social housing still charges just 88 cents rent
A general view of the streets at the Fuggerei in Augsburg, southern Germany. Founded in 1521 by the wealthy businessman Jakob Fugger and believed to be the oldest such project in the world, the Fuggerei in the city of Augsburg provides living space for 150 residents facing financial hardship. Image: Michaela STACHE / AFP WHEN German pensioner Angelika Stibi got the keys to her new home in the southern region of Bavaria this year, a huge financial weight was lifted from her shoulders. Stibi has to pay just 88 euro cents (R17) a year for her apartment in the social housing complex known as the Fuggerei, where rents have not gone up since the Middle Ages. Founded in 1521 by the wealthy businessman Jakob Fugger and believed to be the oldest such project in the world, the Fuggerei in the city of Augsburg provides living space for 150 residents facing financial hardship. Consisting of several rows of yellow terraced buildings with green shutters and sloping red roofs, the complex still resembles a medieval village. "I had a truly wonderful life until I was 55," said Stibi, a mother of two in her 60s from Augsburg. Martha Jesse poses in front of her flat in the Fuggerei in Augsburg, southern Germany. Image: Michaela STACHE / AFP Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading After she was diagnosed with cancer, "everything went from bad to worse" and she was left with no other option but to apply for social housing, she said. Waiting lists are long for apartments in the walled enclave not far from Augsburg city centre, with most applicants having to wait "between two and six or seven years", according to resident social worker Doris Herzog. "It all depends on the apartment you want. The ones on the ground floor are very popular," Herzog said. Applicants must be able to prove that they are Augsburg residents, Catholic and suffering from financial hardship. Relative of Mozart Martha Jesse has been living at the Fuggerei for 17 years after finding herself with monthly pension payments of just 400 euros, despite having worked for 45 years. "Living elsewhere would have been almost impossible," said the 77-year-old, whose apartment is filled with religious symbols. The Fuggerei was heavily damaged in World War II but has since been rebuilt in its original style. Renowned composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's great-grandfather, the mason Franz Mozart, was once a resident and visitors can still see a stone plaque bearing his name. For Andreas Tervooren, a 49-year-old night security guard who has lived at the Fuggerei since 2017, the complex is "like a town within a town" or "the Asterix village in the comic books". The meagre rents at the Fuggerei are all the more remarkable given its location an hour's drive from Munich, the most expensive city in Germany to live in and one of the most expensive in Europe. Rents have also risen sharply in many other German cities in recent years, leading to a wave of protests. But not at the Fuggerei, whose founders stipulated that the rent should never be raised. Daily prayer Jakob Fugger (1459-1525), also known as Jakob the Rich, was a merchant and financier from a wealthy family known for its ties to European emperors and the Habsburg family. Fugger set up several foundations to help the people of Augsburg, and they continue to fund the upkeep of the Fuggerei to this day. The annual rent in the Fuggerei was one Rhenish gulden, about the weekly wage of a craftsman at the time - equivalent to 88 cents in today's money. Although some descendants of the Fugger family are still involved in the management of the foundations, they no longer contribute any money. "We are financed mainly through income from forestry holdings, and we also have a small tourism business," said Daniel Hobohm, administrator of the Fugger foundations. The Fuggerei attracts a steady stream of visitors, and the foundations also receive rental income from other properties. In return for their lodgings, residents of the Fuggerei must fulfil just one condition - every day, they must recite a prayer for the donors and their families.
IOL News
2 days ago
- IOL News
LOOK: South African food truck in Germany serves up comedic twists on traditional dishes
They are the perfect dining-out option for friends who want to have fun and socialise in a relaxed atmosphere. Food trucks have become a major force in the restaurant industry. Gone are the days when they merely offered pre-packaged sandwiches and subpar coffee to weary factory workers. Today, food trucks are hotspots for gourmet experiences, featuring a variety of options, from freshly caught seafood to exquisite desserts. Among their ranks, one particular mobile eatery has caught our attention - a Germany-based food truck that boasts a cheeky South African menu. Listed on a popular German online catering service, Kostbar - South African Delights on Wheels - invites patrons to immerse themselves in the culinary richness of South Africa. The truck proclaims: 'Immerse yourself in a culinary journey through South Africa with our unique food truck.' With dishes inspired by the nation's diverse cuisine, Kostbar aims to deliver not just meals, but an entire experience enveloped in warm hospitality and the vibrant spirit of Mzansi. The menu features some standout items that marry the traditional with the playful:
TimesLIVE
3 days ago
- TimesLIVE
Taiwan seals Ukraine combat-tested drone software deal to help deter China
Taiwan sealed a partnership deal on Tuesday with US and German-based Auterion for drone software battle-tested in Ukraine to help strengthen the island's defences against growing military threats from giant neighbour China. Auterion, whose software is used in Ukrainian drones operating combat missions against Russia, said the deal could eventually lead to the technology being used in millions of drones for Taiwan. China views democratically governed Taiwan as its own territory and has ramped up its military pressure over the past five years, including staging half a dozen rounds of war games. Taiwan's government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Taiwan has been studying how Ukraine has deployed drones, in the air and at sea, to successfully offset Russia's numerical advantage on the battlefield, given China's forces also outnumber Taiwan's. Auterion said it had agreed to a strategic partnership with Taiwan's defence ministry's research and development arm, the National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, for uncrewed systems and drone swarming software. 'What we're bringing to the table has been combat-proven in Ukraine to deter aggression and destroy tanks, naval assets and other expensive equipment. By building a large autonomous fleet, Taiwan can deter China,' Auterion CEO Lorenz Meier told Reuters. 'The partnership is super long-term. I think in terms of, if you're trying to put that in number of drones or dollars, we're expecting millions of drones over many years and hundreds of millions of dollars in value that's being created,' he said at a ministry-organised sea drone exhibition at the northeastern Taiwanese port of Suao. Pushed by the US, Taiwan has been working to transform its armed forces to be able to wage 'asymmetric warfare' using mobile and often cheaper weapons which pack a targeted punch, such as drones and truck-mounted missiles. Chung-Shan president Li Shih-chiang thanked the five foreign companies who participated at the Suao exhibition. 'I believe you will soon be sanctioned by the Chinese government, but do not fear because you have chosen the democratic camp,' he said. Ukraine has deployed sea drones not only to attack ships in Russia's Black Sea fleet, but also to shoot down aircraft. The unmanned sea drones on display in Suao included not only those that could be packed with explosives for high-speed suicide missions, but smaller craft that can conduct low-profile reconnaissance.
