UPDATE: A number of lion sightings near Vryheid reported in the past week

Several sightings of the elusive lions roaming near Vryheid have been reported over the past week.

The most recent sighting took place yesterday evening around 6pm when a man hunting impala in the Lenjane area allegedly spotted the lions roaming about. He reported the sighting to the Induna in the area who made contact with the authorities.

At sunset on Wednesday evening, Inkosi Douglas Zondo was returning to his Gluckstad home after a business trip in Durban, when he saw a lion cross the road in front of him.

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“I was travelling on a dirt road between the plantations and it was already getting dark, but I had the car lights on and, a short distance in front on my car, I saw a lion cross the road. My concern was the children that were playing along the road, so every time I saw someone along the road, I stopped my car and warned them to get home to safety because I had just seen one of the lions wandering in the area. The next morning, I alerted the Induna, who contacted the police,” said Inkosi Zondo.

Gluckstadt station commander, Captain Erasmus, confirmed that he had received word of Inkosi Zondo’s sighting, and had followed up on the lead, but the lions had still not been found at the time of publishing.

ALSO READ: Hunters in pursuit of lions on the loose near Vryheid

“We had also received a tip-off that the lions had killed a donkey in the area, but when our informer took us to there, the carcass was gone and he could not remember who had told him that the lions had attacked a donkey. We are following up on every single lead we get but, so far, we haven’t been able to find the lions,” said Captain Erasmus. “We encourage residents who spot the lions to report to us immediately after a sighting. If they only report to us the next day, the lions would have already moved on by the time we get there.”

Residents who see the lions can contact Captain Erasmus on 082 419 6738.