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Durban — Six lions were slaughtered for killing at least six cows, a number expected to rise, and leaving communities fearful of walking at night in northern KwaZulu-Natal.
On Sunday, Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife said it had taken two community members, Messrs Lucky Ngqulunga and Similo Khanyile from the Nqulwane and Okhukho areas, who showed the organisation six carcasses of the lions that recently terrorised the community and made them fear walking at night.
They flew over the area where the lions were killed on Saturday.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesperson Musa Mntambo said the six lions had killed six cows before they were killed, and the figure may rise as some community members still have to take stock of their cows.
Mntambo said the community was living in fear, which left them afraid of going to the areas they use as pastures for their livestock. The community’s anger was mounting as it was feared that the lions had lost the fear of human beings.
He said several community members alleged that they had come into contact with the lions, and, instead of running away which is their normal behaviour in such encounters, they walked straight towards them forcing them to retreat.
“During yesterday’s (Saturday) verification drive, only two carcasses that were in an area that is not easily accessible could be seen. The other four carcasses had been removed by community members for their use,” Mntambo said.
“When Ezemvelo’s helicopter flew above the second carcass, the area where the carcass was had become a point of convergence for a large group of community members who were of great assistance to Ezemvelo’s pilot as she tried to manoeuvre the helicopter closer to the carcass.”
Mntambo said the decision to kill the pride of lions was taken following several community protests that resulted in a group of community members cutting the fence and staging a sit-in inside Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park. They threatened to not only sit inside HiP until the MEC resolved their issues, but also to hunt and kill any lions they saw.
He said the group demanded to meet KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs MEC Ravi Pillay and they met on Tuesday and several resolutions were taken including:
- The lions should be destroyed if they escape again as it was feared that they might soon attack people;
- The plan to repair the fence is to be brought forward and local people should be employed when the repairs are made; and
- The recent public participation workshops aimed at reviewing the compensation policy should be organised in their community hall for ease of access.
Mntambo added that 94 people were recently employed as fence liners.
He said a meeting on Tuesday had been scheduled with iNkosi Mlaba of Nqulwane and Nhlungwane areas; iNkosi Zungu of OKhukho area and iNkosi Zulu of Ngolotshe and Masokaneni. The meeting which will also be attended by Izinduna from these areas will discuss a number of issues including the employment of 21 people belonging to each Induna within their areas.
Daily News