Cattle owners near Giyani, Limpopo, are furious after Kruger National Park staff killed their livestock that wandered into the park.
There’s no fence between their villages and the park and it is thought that poachers may have removed the fence to get into the park easier.
Letter Mabunda, speaking for the farmers, said they’ve lost many cattle to lions or park staff over the years.
Elephants from the park also damage their crops.
“We’ve asked for a fence, but nothing’s happened. Even former agriculture minister Thoko Didiza told the park to fix the fence, but they ignored it,” Mabunda said.
At a meeting with some of the farmers at the park’s Phalaborwa Gate on Friday, 27 September, park officials said they killed the cattle to prevent them spreading diseases like the foot-and-mouth virus to wildlife such as buffalo, buck and wildebeest.
“There is no fence, so park officials can’t kill our animals,” Mabunda said. “They can’t fine us for trespassing. Many farmers are pensioners who used their savings to buy these cows to support their families.”
Mackson Ngobeni, 71, from Makhuva Village, lost cows he inherited from his father. He says 84 cows belonging to four people were lost in the park. The park claims there were only 52, and they killed 28, with no information on the other 24.
“I’m just a pensioner. I can’t afford lawyers like SANParks. I want compensation or other cows,” said Ngobeni, who sells his cattle for R10,000 each.
The farmers are waiting for SANParks’ response about compensation and fencing.
SANParks spokesman JP Louw had not responded to a request for comment by the time of publication.
Pictured above: Cattle wandering into the Kruger Park.
