13 Aug 2017

Ministry of Environment, Natural Resourses Conservation and Tourism is aware of the poor state of the Khutse Game Reserve perimetere fence.

Responding to a question in Parliament on behalf of the Minister of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Minister Mr Prince Maele  said the ministry had in the past two years been experiencing an upsurge in the number of elephants which damaged the fence in search of water.

He said the fence was not electrified due to insufficient maintenance work as a consequence of budgetary challenges. Mr Maele noted that the damaged fence had paved way to predators like lions and hyenas to move freely into communal grazing and ploughing areas  causing damage to livestock, crops,  water installations and fences.

Furthermore, Minister Maele emphasised that the funds allocated for the maintenance of the fences was not adequate to cover all fences erected to reduce human-wildlife conflict.

The maintenance of the Khutse predator fence, he said, would be considered in the 2018/2019 financial year, including other financing sources like drought relief.

He said the funds had been set aside for compensation of damages caused by wildlife and the payment of backlog which had accumulated over the past two years, noting that payment  commenced in April 2017.

He said the number of domestic animals killed by wild animals during the past five years in the area include, 559 cattle, 89 horses, 35 donkeys, 177 goats and 97 sheep. 

Mr Maele also noted that 1 723 problem animal incidents were compensated to 437 people at a total cost of over P2 million. Takatokwane MP, Mr Ngaka Ngaka had asked the minister  if he was aware that the fence at Khutse Game Reserve was worn out, and the number of domestic animals killed by wild animals in that area in the past five years. ENDS