The Mpumalanga Wildlife Management Unit and the province's SPCA were investigating the reported escape of a tiger, a provincial wildlife manager said.

"I just got a report from the SPCA that the animal escaped from the vehicle. It comes out of the Mpumalanga province and it's not supposed to be there," said Louw Steyn.

Steyn said if the tiger lived in Mpumalanga, it was doing so without a permit.

"I have checked, and there is no tiger registered in our province. We have checked with Gauteng and that tiger is also not registered there," said Steyn.

Eyewitness News reported that the animal broke out of a bakkie on the R25 between Groblersdal and Delmas while being taken to a vet in Springs.

"The Mpumalanga Nature Conservation Act states very clearly that you may not import an animal in the province," said Steyn.

The radio station reported that the 17-month-old Tiger called Panjo was tame.

It reports that 10, 000 farmers in Mpumalanga have been asked to help search for the tiger