Justice of the Wild

Written by Michael du Preez

Narrated by Michael McGovern

Justice of the Wild.

A freak electric thunderstorm. A double security fence surrounding the Lion Park near Johannesburg, is crushed when a gigantic tree, struck by lightning, splits in two. One half crashes towards the lions, while the other plunges onto the security fence, flattening it to the ground.

Five lionesses following a male, mount the trunk and escape into suburbia.

Lion Park official, Martin Resnick and his rangers load their dart guns for an immediate search. But they are hampered by the raging storm and rapidly looming nightfall.

Six hungry lions are roaming about on the outskirts of Johannesburg. If the media gets to hear about it, Resnick thought, he could lose his job. Not only do the media hear about it, but they splash frantic headlines on every radio and TV station in the country. Some resourceful poachers, watching, are spurred into action. Lions are worth a lot of money.

Rampha Singh and friend Paul Patterson are told the news at school. Later, as they make their way to Lanseria Airport on Rampha’s motorcycle, they notice activity going on in the tall grass, close to the road.

They stop, and watch fascinated as they see lions being darted and loaded into a closed van. They presume that the predators have been recaptured.

 But they are wrong.

 Later, they work with the police and point out where they saw the lions being captured.

Little do they realize what ordeal lies ahead. That very night, two Lion Park rangers are mauled.

Days later, at a fast-food outlet, the boys notice the same enclosed van parked nearby. When the vehicle finally pulls off, they follow it to a nearby smallholding, where they are taken by surprise, overpowered by one of the poachers, Tiny Terblanche. What will he do with his young hostages? What lengths will he go, to avoid being exposed? Even murder?  The boys’ nightmare is about to begin. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michael du Preez
• Release date: Jun 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9798822614406