1 injured by roaming elephant in Mkhuhlu

Farmer Ndzalama Ndlovu was attacked and injured by one of six elephants that reportedly escaped from the Kruger National Park through a broken fence near Phabeni Gate on Wednesday.

Ndlovu said he was harvesting tomatoes on his farm in Mkhuhlu when the elephant struck him unexpectedly. “I did not see or hear the elephant walking towards me. I was hit and I fell to the ground. When I saw what was happening, that was when I realised it was the elephant. It struck me while I was on the ground. I was rescued by other people who were on the farm, who managed to scare the elephant away from me. They took me to a safe place and called the ambulance that transported me to the Matikwane Hospital. I am still in pain, but recovering very well,” he said and added that he was lucky to have escaped alive.

SANParks and the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency worked for several hours to safely return the elephants to the park. While many were relieved by their safe return, some community members from the Bushbuckridge and Hazyview areas expressed frustration, saying the elephants should have been killed to provide food for their families.

“We tried for two hours to guide the elephants back, but community members blocked their path with bakkies and armed themselves with axes and machetes to kill the elephants for meat. The elephants became stressed, endangering people. The police were called to control the crowd. Fortunately, the elephants were unharmed and were returned to the park,” said Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency spokesperson Simphiwe Shungube.

Many believed the elephants would not survive the night, but SANParks announced their safe return at about 20:40 on Wednesday. SANParks spokesperson Isaac Phaahla condemned the community’s actions, urging them to avoid interfering with authorities, as it endangers both animals and people.

Some community members expressed their desperation for wild meat due to rising food prices. One man, armed with an axe, said he had hoped to obtain elephant meat for his family and to sell some to other villagers. “It’s rare for an elephant to leave the park. When I saw them, I joined in the hope of getting something for my family and making some money. I spent the entire night on the road, hoping they would take one down, but it didn’t happen,” he said, speaking anonymously.

Another community member, Stanley Mgiba, said once wild animals cross into residential areas, they should be killed for people to enjoy their meat. “I was disappointed when I saw the police and rangers chasing them back to the park. I have been in areas where elephants were taken down, and their meat was given to people living next to the park. But at least no one was injured, and the animals are back in the park, though we still don’t have meat to eat,” he said.

Phaahla confirmed that efforts are underway to repair the broken fences. “The river levels are low, allowing the elephants to cross. We have since fixed the exit point and will monitor the area.”