Residents of Mbizo, near Louwsburg, are living in fear after several elephants have been seen roaming around the area since February.

Crops destroyed and residents concerned

The elephants have been spotted during the day and at night near the Maphisa, Sibiya, Zwane and Masuku homesteads. Residents say the animals eat their crops and vegetables, and sometimes block them from entering or leaving their homes.

One resident said the community has reported the matter to the relevant authorities several times.

“We believe these elephants escaped from Ithala Game Reserve a long time ago. We have reported this issue several times, but we keep being referred from one person to another. We cannot live with wild animals where we stay. We have young children and depend on the crops we grow for food, but the elephants eat them. Whoever is responsible must take these elephants back to the reserve before someone gets hurt.”

Although no injuries or attacks have been reported, residents say they are worried that the elephants could become aggressive and be a danger to people.

Ezemvelo explains the challenges

Responding to the concerns, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesperson Musa Mntambo confirmed that elephants have been seen outside the protected area.

He said reports of elephants being seen around the area are received from community members and other stakeholders at different times, making it difficult to determine exactly when the animals first left the reserve.

Mntambo explained that returning the elephants is a challenge, as a chopper is needed to herd the animals back into the reserve, while damaged fences must also be repaired to prevent further escapes.

“Getting a chopper is not cheap and is not a straightforward process. At times, the chopper may be busy in other protected areas. We finally do push them back. When a report is received, it may be because a herd has escaped due to the fence not being fixed accordingly.”

He added that while waiting for a chopper, Ezemvelo plans to station officials in the affected area to keep the elephants away from nearby homes and reduce the risk to residents.

Overcrowding adds to the problem

Mntambo assured the community that Ezemvelo is aware of the situation and is doing everything possible to return the elephants safely.

“Another challenge facing Ithala is that the number of elephants inside Ithala has exceeded the carrying capacity by more than double, and our recent public requests for reserves that may be willing to receive these elephants through translocation have so far failed. We thus wish to make the same appeal for public or private reserves willing to take some of these elephants to contact us.”

Community calls for urgent action

Residents are now urging the authorities to act quickly before someone is injured, saying that the elephants have been roaming the area for several months.

The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Vryheid Herald, a sold newspaper distributed in the Vryheid area.