WARNING TO FUTURE GUESTS OF ORANGE-VILLE LODGE & GUESTHOUSE I never expected to write this, but I believe future guests deserve to know what happened to me. I arrived on 30 April 2026 and was booked to stay until 5 May 2026. During the early hours of 1 May 2026, while I was asleep in my tent on the property, a man entered my tent armed with a knife and demanded my phone and wallet. What followed was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. The attacker repeatedly attempted to stab me. My tent's front window has three separate holes where the knife was thrust through the tent during the attack. While trying to defend myself, I used a blower fan as a shield and was stabbed in the hand through the fan. Looking at the damage afterwards, I genuinely believe that if I had not used the fan to protect myself, the outcome could have been far worse. The attacker stole my camping bag and cooler box before fleeing. I immediately opened a police case and police attended the scene. I was so traumatised and concerned for my safety that I packed what I could and left the property that same night while the police were still there. It had also started raining, which meant I was unable to properly pack up my campsite. I had to leave my tent behind and return the following day to collect it. The next day I also had to seek medical attention for the injury to my hand before I could return to fetch my belongings. For those who may wonder whether I was camping in an isolated area, I was not. There were two other occupied tents nearby, approximately 3 metres and 10 metres away from my tent. What has disappointed me even more is how the situation was handled afterwards. I paid R1,350 for accommodation until 5 May 2026. Because of the attack, I was forced to leave early and could not use the remaining nights I had paid for. I requested a refund for the unused nights. I was not asking for compensation, damages, or anything beyond the accommodation I could no longer use because I no longer felt safe staying there. When I followed up regarding the refund, my request was refused. During further communication, I was told that I was trying to "milk the situation" by asking for my money back. To make matters worse, the owner then blocked me on WhatsApp, effectively ending any meaningful discussion regarding the matter. In my opinion, this is not the level of professionalism or customer care one would expect from a 4-star lodge, especially as a guest
