WhatsApp messages have been doing the rounds on local groups since last night, saying the lone Simba had been seen and heard, with a photo accompanying the posts.

The posts also include a number of voice notes, with one containing the voice of a known farmer in the area, saying that residents of the Mooifontein smallholdings heard the thundering roars of the beast throughout the night.

The public, however, has since been advised, including by the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA), to stop sharing misleading information regarding a lion sighting between Ermelo and Breyten.

The photo that has been making rounds on online groups has also been determined to be an old photo, unrelated to the latest sighting, used in a 2024 news article.

According to one of the voice notes sent by the farmer, his workers saw the lion on Sunday night, and he said he would check on his herd the following morning.

After the Middelburg Observer spoke to the farmer, he sent another voice note, said to be the voice of one of his workers, confirming the sighting.

The farmer said his workers don’t have cellphones, so the sighting could not be verified. Even after the MTPA released the statement about misleading information, the farmer emphasised to the paper that he believes there is a lion on the loose.

Another voice note of a female motorist claimed the lion was spotted en route to Breyten on Sunday night. Her cellphone number could not be provided for first-hand verification of the sighting.

Simba made such a social media upROAR, that the MTPA was forced to release a statement yesterday, dispelling the accuracy of the reports.

According to the MTPA, the reports are false, and the image being shared on social media is not recent.

The MTPA urged the public to refrain from sharing the post, which might cause unnecessary panic within surrounding communities.