Mpumalanga villagers burn school bus during protest

The residents of Cork village near the Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga, took to the streets on Friday morning.

The residents torched a school bus, blocking the R536 road between Kruger Park and Hazyview, Mpumalanga News reported.

They are demanding the removal of the fence from the Sabie River.

This is after a 27-year-old Lucky Mboweni was shot by a ranger while fishing in the river on Sunday.

The residents are furious, as Lucky is not the first resident to be shot by a ranger.

In 2016, Perry Dlamini was fatally shot while fishing in the river the park shares with the villagers.

Kruger National Park spokesperson William Mabasa said they were aware of the shooting and would meet with the residents soon.

“The duty of the rangers is to arrest anybody that they find inside the park, who would not have come through the official gates because that person is viewed as a suspected poacher. We will sit down with the community to look at a lasting solution,’’ said Mabasa.

Motorists have since been advised to avoid that route.

– Caxton News Service

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