Roaming beasts ‘scared of people’
ABOUT R50-million is needed to repair the 162km-long Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park’s perimeter fence to reduce the number of animal escapes from the reserve.
Last month, public protector Thuli Madonsela toured a section of the park’s fence near Ulundi, about 240km north of Durban, after people in the neighbouring Ncemanini area complained that animals — particularly leopards and hyenas — were “terrorising the community” and killing livestock. People were also attacked, it was claimed.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesman Musa Mntambo said a lion from the park had killed two cows before being “destroyed” by rangers. He said animals leaving the park was, however, not common.
Mntambo said repairs were regularly done on the fence, but that money needed to fix it completely exceeded the budget. He said “at least R51-million” would be needed for a new fence.
Repairs and maintenance were not a fixed budget item, but were done “as a project” and funded by the provincial government.
“In 2013-14, we were allocated R1-million and this financial year it is R6.2-million,” he said.
Park officials made do by replacing old fence posts and barbed wire as well as repairing the two-strand electric fencing. Part of the fence was also stolen, he said.
Daily patrols helped to maintain the fence and report break-outs. He said it was stretching the truth to say wild animals were terrorising the community.
“Wild animals are generally scared of human beings,” said Mntambo.
Madonsela’s office said her report would be published before the end of the month.