Elephants on the loose in northern KZN after 'community cut and steal fence' of game reserve

Communities in northern KwaZulu-Natal have been urged to stop cutting and stealing game reserve fences after a group of elephants escaped from iThala Game Reserve.

Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife said the elephants escaped on Wednesday and are now far away from the reserve. Helicopters have been arranged to herd them back, but the pilot is waiting for the weather to clear. 

Elephants often escape through two separate routes, it said. “The first one is the Phongolo River and the second is an area known as KwaBanakile where the community removed the fence and prevented Ezemvelo officials doing their work.

“Ezemvelo will continue to engage the community to allow the erection of the fence along the Phongolo River and appeals to the community to report those who remove the fence and threaten Ezemvelo officials when they do their work.”

The community was also asked to contact Ezemvelo if they see elephants that have escaped.

KZN Nature Conservation Services board chair Lydia Johnson said those who cut and stole the perimeter fencing of Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park (HiP) were adding unnecessary costs, delaying the completion of the re-fencing project and placing the lives of innocent community members at risk of being attacked by dangerous wild animals.

Johnson, accompanied by other members of the board, made her appeal during a community meeting on Wednesday. 

Ezemvelo said the meeting was attended by community structures, including local traditional leaders, local board members, the Corridor of Hope co-management committee and Yakutat Four Trading owner Bongani Cele. 

Yakutat Four was tasked with erecting an 11.5km perimeter fence at HiP.

According to Ezemvelo, there have been several incidents where the fence was cut, stolen or poles destroyed over the past six months.

“When the board was appointed, it faced angry community members after the much-reported lions’ escape from HiP. There were sporadic protests which threatened conservation efforts in the area. We, however, managed to find each other and have achieved a lot working together,” said Johnson.

“I appeal to all structures to again work with us during this fence erection project.”

A new fence of more than 4.5km has been erected. 

Johnson said an 11.5km fence would be erected along the Cengeni gate.

 TimesLIVE