South Africa News

South African aims to break own world record

It’s a world record that arguably nobody knows. But South African Vernon Kruger is ready to beat it, by spending more than two months perched in a barrel hoisted 25 metres above the ground.

The 52-year-old professional scuba diver is trying to break his own record for the longest human stay perched in a barrel.

In 1997, Kruger spent 67 days and 14 minutes on a barrel. 22 years later, Guinness asked him to beat his own record, which is still unbeaten.

“Sleeping in this barrel is not very easy, I’ve had a lot of cramps and back pain since I’ve been here. It’s a very small place to curl up and I have to lie down in the fetal position. I wash myself, I have a little tub that I can fit in here, and then I wash myself, say, twice a week I go and take a bath”, Kruger said.

So on November 14, Vernon Kruger was hoisted unto a 500-liter wine barrel on top of a 25-meter mast for a stay that he knew from experience was very challenging.

“It’s getting a bit frustrating here, especially because I can’t do a lot of things on my own, I have to rely on the ground team. I need to rely on others for absolutely everything”, the Guinness World Record hopeful said.

His ordeal is almost over. By Monday, he’ll have broken his own record. But he has not said what day he’s coming off the pole as yet.

“Vernon won’t go down when he breaks his record, which is Monday. He won’t go down, he’ll stay a little longer. We haven’t been given a date, which worries us because we have to get him off”, co-organizer, Fiona Jones said.

Kruger is planning to extend his ordeal by a few more days to support NGO’s for children relief and epilepsy, for which he raises funds.

Plus, to keep his name in the Guinness Book of World Records.

 

Source: africanews.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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