GEORGE NEWS - George Herald's roaming reporter, radio presenter and outdoor man Jeff Ayliffe made headlines by doing a daring handstand daily at weird and wonderful locations in 2019. He called it the Handstand365 project.
One of these remarkable handstands that highlighted his project, and probably the most memorable of them all, was the one he did on the Table Mountain cable car in November that year.
All his handstands, especially the one on the cable car, were done in good spirits with his own safety and the safety of those around him, in mind.
However, recent claims by a Cape Town tour guide, apparently from Karbonkelberg Tourism, suggest that Ayliffe extended his handstand antics to the Bos 400 shipwreck between Llandudno and Hout Bay, which led to four deaths and 47 rescues of copycats. "This is not true," says Ayliffe.
Ayliffe says he has never in his life been on or near the Bos 400 and said his Table Mountain feat was a collaborative effort with the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway and Wilderness Search And Rescue (WSAR), meticulously executed at 06:30 in the morning under optimal conditions.
Ayliffe is in possession of a recording made by one of the guide's guests. The recording has been sent to him by a number of people in the last couple of weeks.
In the recording you can hear the tour guide telling them the story of what could only be Ayliffe's handstand. Listen to the recording here.
"About a year and a half or two years ago there was a gentleman who did a handstand on the cable car... He did the same thing here [the Bos 400]... He jumped off there, a 200m drop. Literally two weeks after he posted it on YouTube... 47 rescues and four deaths."
Ayliffe has since spoken about it on Cape Talk's weekend breakfast show during his weekly outdoor report.
"I don't appreciate being linked to causing an apparent 47 rescues and four deaths," Ayliffe emphasises.
"I reached out to the company, but have had zero feedback. I have never been near the Bos 400 crane wreck in my life. Either to do a handstand or to jump off it."
Both the WSAR and the NSRI have confirmed that they have only ever carried out three rescues off the crane, and there have been no deaths linked to it.
Misinformed
In response to a media enquiry to Karbonkelberg Tourism, owner Brent Thomas apologised profusely for misinforming the public. According to Thomas he has been in hospital for the last couple of weeks and had no idea of what was going on until he was discharged on Monday 25 March.
"I misunderstood information I received initially. I heard someone that I know well, speak of four to seven rescues and I heard 47.
"The same person told me about the guy who did the handstand. I believed him because I knew him, and I didn't check my sources. It's very unfortunate and I'm sorry if I destroyed Jeff's reputation. It was not my intention at all. I will do a retraction, a public apology, anything - it really was an honest mistake for which I'm extremely sorry," he said.
Apology accepted
On Tuesday 26 March, Ayliffe posted to his Facebook page saying that all has been resolved between him and Thomas.
"The gentleman in question [Thomas] called me today, and explained the confusion and where he had got his story from, more importantly, he took full responsibility. He was genuinely concerned and apologised profusely for any damage he had caused, and sent me a heartfelt one page public apology," read Ayliffe's post.
Ayliffe said that after looking up Thomas a few weeks ago, he saw he was a Karbonkelberg local who started his tour guiding business to uplift the community.
"I love that. I love stories with positive endings, and I'm going to do my best to help Brent to make it work. He has learnt an invaluable lesson, I consider myself a good judge of character, and he seems to be a really good guy. Onwards and upwards," said Ayliffe.
The NSRI has issued warnings in the past to avoid the site of the Bos 400 crane wreck as it poses serious dangers to both the public and emergency responders.
The Bos 400 shipwreck.
