Damaged fence enables cattle grazing in Kruger National Park
SANParks urged the community to look after the Kruger Park as it provides a lot of income to the area.
21 hours ago
Riot Hlatshwayo
Environmentalist Mark Taylor crosses under what used to be a fence around the Kruger National Park.
Cattle from the communities adjacent to the world-renowned Kruger National Park (KNP) graze freely inside the park without any hindrance, taking advantage of an unfenced stretch along the Nsikazi River near Makoko Village in the Numbi area.
During a fact-finding mission to the area on Friday, November 29, Lowvelder saw a man herding cattle straight from the park.
Cattle graze in the Kruger National Park. > Photo: Riot Hlatshwayo
The cattle herder, Richard Lekhuleni, said there were vast grasslands in the park that make for more grazing for the cattle. He did not think he and the cattle were actually trespassing when they entered the park, because they simply had access through the unfenced portion. “The fence is not there and the grass looks green inside the park, so nothing is stopping me from grazing the cattle there. The fence was taken down after it became dilapidated, and there were people who tried to replace it, but they have since stopped for reasons unknown to me,” said Lekhuleni.
He claimed other herders also grazed their cattle in the KNP and would continue to do so until the fence is replaced.
Asked if the cattle he was herding had ever been attacked by lions or other carnivores, Lekhuleni just laughed. “As you can see for yourself, the fence is not there. The animals you are referring to may as well come out to our community and kill the cattle any time. Whether we are inside the park or outside, it is just the same, so we are not worried about that,” he said.
Well over a 5km stretch of fence that is supposed to protect the park is either not there in some parts or down elsewhere. There is a railway line adjacent to this area and members of a local security company guard the Transnet infrastructure. There were a number of spots littered with elephants dung along the road used by the security guards outside the park. The road stretches down towards Mpakeni, Luphisi and Mthethomusha Game Reserve, towards Matsulu.
“You see, this explains why an elephant paid Matsulu a visit earlier this year. I believe it came from the park and passed through where there is no fence, going straight to the township. Fortunately it did not kill anyone,” said a security guard.
A well-known local environmentalist, Mark Taylor, who usually rides on his motorbike in this area, said when he raised the matter on the SANParks’ Facebook page, he was called a liar. “My concern was for the fence to be repaired as soon as possible, because the situation is putting the lives of people and animals at risk. This also gives free access to poachers,” said Taylor.
He said he was also concerned about the possible spread of diseases between livestock and wild animals.
Communities giving SANParks a hard time
The SANParks’ spokesperson, Isaac Phaahla, confirmed there was a stretch of an unfenced border in the area, but added that it was being repaired.
“There have been recorded incidents of elephants being lured out of the park. Management, in consultation with communities and relevant stakeholders, decided to embark on the project to erect a new, more durable fence. There was a fence. It was vandalised, hence the project,” explained Phaahla. “Work is ongoing, though there was a stoppage due to community disputes, but these have since been resolved.”
He explained there were communication mechanisms in place to warn SANParks and the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency of any animals that might have breached the fence, and the community was asked to alert their CPF forums if this happened.
Phaahla said the issue of poachers had been highlighted with communities and law enforcement agencies to do their part outside the park, and that rangers would do theirs inside. “Poaching presents a huge risk to the country as it affects numbers of visitors coming to the country. People will lose their livelihoods because those who sell to tourists along the routes won’t have clients. Communities need to be the eyes and ears of the law enforcement agencies. Tribal authorities need to banish strangers who settle in their areas for criminal purposes and the individual communities should refuse to be made accomplices,” said Phaahla.
He confirmed that it was not expected that cattle would graze inside the park, but confirmed that elephants sometimes strolled outside it. He concluded by saying the KNP was a 2 million-hectare property with only 300 rangers to patrol it. “It is impossible to be at every corner all the time. The topography, the weather conditions – taking those into consideration, you will realise it is not an easy task for our rangers. However, livestock owners need to be responsible. Community members need to look after this park, because without the animals, there will be a lot more hardship in the adjacent areas,” he said.
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It's been going downward for a long time 
