The family of a hiker who went missing in Newlands Forest on Sunday are relieved that he’s been found alive. Ebrahim Dawood was mugged while hiking on his own, and suffered a head injury after he was apparently pushed off a cliff, his cousin Sulaiman Ismail explained.

Dawood had joined Ismail and three others for the hike and had plans to finish at the pass for a picnic. They started at about 11am and ended up at the hidden stream, taking directions from other hikers. Dawood decided to take a longer route and then ventured on his own. Ismail said their agreement was to meet at the top of the trail or at their car.

“We completed the hike and ended up at the top at 2.30pm. We then tried phoning him and his cell was off. We waited two hours, hoping he would pitch up,” said Ismail.

“After we waited, I dropped my wife and sisters at home, and then went back to the hiking trail. There was no sign of him and that’s when I started panicking and contacted the police.”

On Monday, the Wilderness Search and Rescue team used search teams and dogs to comb the forest for the man. Ismail joined the search party and found a badly bruised Dawood lying in rocks off the trail.

“One of these search parties found the missing person. Although he was able to walk out, he was found to be disorientated and dehydrated. On closer inspection, it [became] obvious he was mugged in the course of last night,” said spokesperson Johan Marais.

Dawood was disorientated and visibly traumatised when the search team found him. According to his version of events, he was mugged by three identified men who then pushed him off a cliff.

“When we found him, he was asleep. He was bloodied and full of cuts and blue bruises. But alhamdullilah, he is alive,” said Ismail.

Dawood is recovering at Groote Schuur hospital. VOC