Be warned of crocodiles at Mngwenya River
Chairperson of the Community Policing Forum, Jacob Sboza, urged the community to be vigilant when fishing.
The police warned locals against fishing in the crocodile-infested Mngwenya River. Matsulu Police Station commander, Col Bhushi Ndlovu, raised his concerns about locals who continue to fish and throw nets in the river, even after the recent disappearance a local man in the area.
“Some people were even fishing on the first day of the victim’s disappearance and even after his body had been found. This is just a worrying factor. We plead with the community to stay away from fishing and loitering around the river to prevent similar incidents in future,” warned Ndlovu.
READ : Missing Matsulu boy suspected to be in the Crocodile River
The partly decomposed body of 55-year-old Albert Singwane was retrieved from the river on Friday morning, two days after his disappearance in the river. A reliable source said Singwane had some of his body parts missing, including his left hand and leg. It is believed he was partly eaten by crocodiles.
He was laid to rest yesterday at Matsulu B. The victim was last seen on March 24 fishing near the river while his wife ploughed in their garden nearby.
READ: Police diving unit retrieve body from Crocodile River
A day after his disappearance, provincial police spokesperson, Brig Leonard Hlathi, said divers and a helicopter could not find him. He said the police shot one of the crocodiles in the river, but it disappeared and could not be traced.
He added that the search process was also made difficult by bad weather conditions on the day. Members of Singwane’s family and the community continued with the search and found him about 100 metres from where he was attacked.
Chairperson of the Community Policing Forum, Jacob Sboza, urged the community to be vigilant when fishing.
“Much as fishing is dangerous it is difficult to stop the people from this practice as many of them make a living from it. Some throw nets in the river while farming around the river. We urge them to go them in group and practice safe measures,” he said. The Mpumalanga Parks and Tourism Agency recently reported that under 100 adult crocodiles were still at large, after a dam wall, forming a safe enclosure, broke due to the heavy rain in January.
