MEC mends broken fences in Nongoma
Community’s fears eased after two lions escaped park and killed livestock
EZEMVELO KZN Wildlife has repaired the section of damaged fence at the Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park where lions and other wildlife escaped and went on a hunting spree, leaving a neighbouring KwaNongoma community living in fear.
This emerged after Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube met residents to discuss the problem at a local school on Saturday.
Community members captured and killed two lions last weekend after the animals went on a feeding frenzy, killing livestock and terrifying local children, who have since refused to walk to school.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesperson Musa Mntambo said yesterday that the damaged fence where the lions had managed to escape had now been repaired and the organisation was investigating complaints regarding loss of livestock.
“More than 240 local community members from areas adjacent to Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park have further been employed to erect a new fence and maintain it,” Mntambo said.
He said people who lost their livestock would be compensated financially once an investigation had been concluded to ascertain whether lions had killed their animals.
Dube-Ncube met local headmen and residents of Ngolotshe, Masokeni and surrounding areas, who reported a spate of lion attacks on their livestock.
“We assured the communities of Nongoma, bordering the HluhluweiMfolozi Park, of immediate government intervention following a string of lion attacks decimating their livestock,” Dube-Ncube said.
She said the government and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife would assist the community to protect it from wild animals including lions, leopards, and hyenas.
Dube-Ncube apologised for the strained relations between residents and management of HluhluweiMfolozi Park.
“We shall put a stop to this challenge.
“We have already fixed many parts of the fence and we don’t want this to happen again.
“We apologise for your lives under such she said.
A local mother, who declined to be named, urged the government to provide the community with water services because residents were now afraid to walk to the river to collect it. having put conditions,”