A 21-year-old woman fell to her death at the Northcliff Ridge on the evening of 17 January.
It is believed that she had been watching the sunset from the top of the cliff when she slipped and fell.
“We are heart-broken. It is a tragic incident. We saw people gathering from our house and we knew something unusual had happened. We believe that she might have slipped while taking pictures or when pictures of her were being taken,” said Northcliff resident Elma Coetzee.
The woman sustained multiple injuries, according to ER24 spokesperson Chitra Bodasing.
“When ER24 paramedics arrived. some locals were on the scene and one was performing CPR (Cardiopulmonary resuscitation) on the woman. Paramedics took over and after one and a half hours of CPR she was declared dead,” said Bodasing.
According to Cotze, the woman fell where rock climbing often takes place on the ridge. She is believed to have fallen over 15 metres down.
“The last incident we had of someone falling was in 2013, when a man fell down but survived. We are saddened by the loss of life and whish to extend our condolences to the family and friends of the deceased,” said Coetzee.
Ward 88 councillor Patricia Brugman-Richards said “It is a sad and horrible incident. On the cliff, there is a steep which is dangerous and it is important to keep to the pathway for safety.”
Richards advised people not to go on the cliff when it is dark.
“A lot of people go to watch the sunrise or the sunset. It is important to take precautions. I am sad this happened and we will try building a stone wall so that people do not go across to the edges. We will put this idea through council and try raising money for it,” she said.
It is not yet known where the woman resided prior to her tragic death.
