PHALABORWA – A community member has been hailed as a hero after successfully trapping a crocodile that had been terrorising residents in Mapikiri village in Makhushane, following a fatal attack in February.

Maumane builds cage in three days

The crocodile was captured on March 8, after a cage built from scratch by resident, Happy Maumane, was placed in the river to trap the reptile. Environmental officials later removed the reptile from the area, ensuring it was safely relocated.

The move came after a 58-year-old man, Majozi Freddy Mundlovu, was attacked and killed by a crocodile while bathing in the river on February 13, leaving the community in fear and demanding urgent intervention.

Read more: Family blames water crisis after fatal croc attack at Selati River

Determined to protect residents, Maumane decided to take matters into his own hands after he alleges that environmental authorities failed to assist.

“We waited for the environmental department to bring a cage, but they did not. That is when I came up with the idea to build one myself so that we could trap the crocodile,” he explained.

Maumane said that it took him three days to build the cage using his own materials, with assistance from Shelton Malatji, Jeffrey Mahana, and other community members.

He also hired a vehicle at his own expense to transport the heavy cage to the river.

Crocodile trapped

The trap was placed in the river on February 26.

The crocodile could not be trapped on the first attempt to bait it. A second bait was placed in the cage, and after eight days of waiting, the crocodile was finally trapped.

“On Sunday, around 17:00, I received a call that the crocodile was inside the cage. But we left it there and waited for the environmental department to come because we did not want people to kill it,” said Maumane.

Community members say crocodiles were never seen in the river before the recent floods that affected Phalaborwa. Since the floods, several crocodiles have reportedly been spotted in the area.

Residents say the situation has become dangerous as the river forms part of a route used daily by villagers and learner, while many homes are located close to the water.

Two more crocs spotted

Maumane said that on March 9, he spotted two more large crocodiles about 300m away from where the trapped reptile was found.

“There are more crocodiles in the river, and they are killing domestic animals. The environmental department needs to do something about this. If they can collaborate with us, we can prevent further attacks and make the area safer for everyone,” he said.

Maumane seeks recognition

Maumane believes he should be compensated for his efforts, saying he not only helped protect the community but also ensured the crocodile was captured alive.

He said after capturing the reptile, he visited the Ledet offices in Phalaborwa with some of the community members who assisted him to discuss the matter with a supervisor.

Maumane stated that they were told to write a letter with a report to the Ledet MEC explaining why they captured the crocodile.

He further alleged that the supervisor told them that they were not allowed to catch the reptile and said that the river was the crocodile’s natural territory.

Moreover, he claimed that the supervisor said he was not aware of the crocodile or the cage that had been placed in the river in Makhushane.

The Herald sent an inquiry to Ledet spokesperson Zaid Kalla, but at the time of print, no response had been received.