Mpumalanga farmers fear lions after livestock killings in Dantjie

Cattle farmers in Dantjie in Pienaar, Mpumalanga say they are living in fear after two lions were spotted near their grazing land. According to the farmers, two cows have already been found dead by herdsmen.

“The lions we have seen here are only two. So far, they have killed two cows on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. None of my cows were killed, but my herdman says four of my cows ran away. I don’t know where they are or if they are still alive, but I hope they are,” says a farmer, Johannes Simelane.

Word has spread of the lions causing panic in the community.

“Some of the learners at the nearby school did not go to school on Thursday because there were rumours that six lions had been spotted, but there are only two. They come from Skukuza Rest Camp into our grazing land and destroy our farms,” says Traditional leader, Boy Lukhele.

The farmers say the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) does not take their complaints seriously. They are worried and scared.

“The issue of the lions is painful. I don’t want to lie, because you cannot just enter Kruger National Park without permission, but their animals are able to come onto our farms and cause destruction. When we call them to report, they take their time before coming. They usually ask us if any animals have been killed, which means they only come after our animals have already been eaten. What’s painful is that we don’t get compensated for our dead animals. We only end up filling in forms for nothing, and when they do compensate us, the money is not enough to replace the dead cow,” says another farmer, Solomon Masinga.

The MTPA says its rangers have not yet spotted the lions, but they continue to search.

“The entity received a complaint from the community, and we immediately dispatched our DCA team to investigate. We also requested assistance from our colleagues at Kruger National Park, who provided us with a helicopter. Unfortunately, the lions were not found. Our team will continue to monitor the situation and ensure that the communities remain safe,” says MTPA Spokesperson, Simphiwe Shungube.

The agency has called on community members who see the lions, to report their sightings.