The elderly woman trampled to death by elephants in the Kruger National Park over the weekend has been identified as a Pretoria East resident.
Petronella Margaretha Viljoen (68), better known as Ronel, was from Brummeria in Pretoria.
The incident occurred on May 10 at the Sirheni Bushveld Camp, nestled in the park’s northern Mopane veld region.
According to reports by other tourists in the camp, Viljoen left her cottage unnoticed in the late afternoon for a walk and exited the camp through the gate.
Her husband reported her missing when he noticed her absence. According to a police statement, park rangers and staff initiated an immediate search, and her body was discovered around 23:00. Security cameras have captured her walking out of the camp gate and onto the road leading into the park.
While official details remain scarce, police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba confirmed that Viljoen encountered elephants after leaving the camp, which led to her death. He said when her body was found, the elephants had already left the scene.
Ledwaba confirmed to Rekord that all the family members have been informed of Viljoen’s death and the investigation surrounding it. “The exact circumstances remain under investigation,” he said.
The incident was reported to Saselamani Police Station in the Collins Chabane Local Municipality near the Kruger’s Punda Maria Gate.
