Journalist describe cutting up of elephants as ‘humbling’
People are hungry. Most of them didn't go there for fun they went there for food, while some took the meat to sell so they can make money
MATSULU – A freelance journalist watched in horror as villagers recently cut up three elephants which had escaped from the Kruger National Park (KNP). Although it was traumatic to witness, she said, it humbled her as it showed just how hungry some people were.
She took a striking photo of one of the villagers, carrying the huge foot of one of the animals on his shoulder. The photo caused quite a stir on social media. Ms Beatrice Shongwe lives in Matsulu and explained that there is an old park in Matsulu, very close to the KNP fence, where the animals trespass and go into farms around Kaapmuiden.
“Someone informed me that there were elephants that had again trespassed.”
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She went to investigate and more people, who had obviously also heard the news, joined her and they walked about 10 kilometres to the scene. “We went down as a group of community members and when we got there the rangers were already on the scene.” These were officials of Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) as, when an animal breaks out of the Kruger, it falls under the jurisdiction of the MTPA.
“We were told to stay still so they could kill the elephants first then everyone could have a piece of meat. We waited for about an hour before we could hear gunshots. It was a celebration as they came with pangas, knives and grinders then everyone went down to the place where the elephants had been shot.
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“More than 200 residents clamped down on the scene. What I saw was like a horror movie, everyone cutting the meat without the fear of getting a cut. Some did get cut in the process, but the aim was to get as much meat as possible. Some people got a lot, some got just a piece while some could not get the smallest piece of meat.”
Ms Kholofelo Nkambule, spokesman for the MTPA, on enquiry said officials tried to chase the elephants back into the Kruger, but to no avail.
“An aircraft was also utilised, but without success. We took the decision to euthanise the animals, so that they wouldn’t be hacked to death by the villagers who were up in arms about their presence,” she said.
Shongwe said this was quite a regular occurrence. “This month three elephants and a buffalo were shot and people went to get the meat. Matsulu is very near to Skhukhuza. Animals have been trespassing ever since the park was there although no one has ever been hurt or killed by the animals.”
She said the incident “humbled” her, “because all people of age young and old where there. When you ask the old people if they will be able to get the meat in this crowd, they said they don’t have an option because they didn’t have anything to eat for that day.
“People are hungry. Most of them didn’t go there for fun they went there for food, while some took the meat to sell so they can make money.”
