Local angler relives horror encounter with a crocodile at Albert Falls dam

When a local fisherman cast his rod into Albert Falls dam recently, he did not expect his catch of the day to be a crocodile. Ansh Singh, a resident from the Mshwati area, got the shock of his life when a crocodile allegedly attacked his fishing rod on a recent fishing trip.

“I visit the dam on a regular basis to fish there. About three weeks ago, while I was fishing, a crocodile jumped out of the water and caught my fishing rod,” said Singh.

Singh said he had never been more scared in his life.

“It was definitely an experience I do not wish on even my worst enemy. At that exact moment, I felt my tummy do a 360. I don’t think that I have ever been so scared in my safety of the dam, which receives a lot of visitors throughout the year, as one of Kwazulu-natal’s largest dams.

He said he is especially worried about children.

Singh added that he recently found a hippopotamus in the dam and has since made multiple attempts to notify the dam’s authority about the crocodiles in the dam.

In a response Singh received from Msinsi Holdings, the dam’s authority, it said signage had been erected to warn visitors of the presence of crocodiles.

“Msinsi Holdings is aware of the crocodiles and one hippo in the dam. There are signs up about crocodiles and when captured they are translocated to crocodile farms around Albert Falls Dam.

“The hippo has been in the dam for about two months and the owner has appointed a vet who is trying to capture it and translocate it back to his farm. Msinsi has warned the public about it through social media and we inform customers as they come in about the hippo. We will be putting up signs so that people can be aware of this hippo in the dam.”

However, according to Singh, no crocodiles have been captured at the dam and no attempt has been made to capture these animals. He said he has also not seen any signage up about the presence of crocodiles.

“I live around the Mshwati area and I would like to believe that I know almost everyone and everything that happens around this area. I am in contact with the person that the dam would and should contact when such cases arise.

“And from my conversation with this guy, he tells me that he has not been contacted and no crocodiles have been brought to him by the dam’s authorities,” said Singh.

No comment was received from Msinsi Holdings by the time of publication.