23 Feb 2020

Pitseng, Ralekgetho and Basarwa residents in the Southern District are still in shock after a herd of five elephants were spotted in the area recently.

BOPA cught up with a group of five young women walking along the Moshaweng/Kubung road from Basarwa, three of them with toddlers on their backs.

Although one could intuit that they were beside themselves with fear, they said there was very little they could do as they had to take their children to the mobile health point that day, since it was available only once a month. None of them had seen an elephant before and had no idea what to expect should their paths cross.

Gopolang Modikwe with raw fear in her voice, said they were informed of the elephants’ presence by a certain farmer, who had apparently encountered them that morning.

She was worried that wildlife officers were not doing enough to alert residents, especially as to what to do should they see the giants.

The reporters later met a young man, Matshidiso Majelesa, who offered to direct them to a place where the giants were last seen.

After a few twists and turns, huge spoors were visible on a clear gravel road from Basarwa heading towards Ralekgetho, where some curious dwellers immediately rushed to the roadside at the sight of a government vehicle.

They said some wildlife officers had passed by that morning and explained that the animals were now heading towards the Kweneng area, but none of the residents could make head or tail of the trails.

Although equally clueless, the seemingly quick witted Majelesa could deduce the direction they were facing from the way one of the giants had slightly dragged a foot, leaving the surface slightly slanted towards the south, an ancient technique passed down from generation to generation.

Ms Keletso Bogale was awoken to the baffling news at around 5am by a neighbour, a little before they had heard cattle running away from harm’s way, as they now know. She said they were now afraid to move around, lest they collided with danger lurking somewhere in the bush.

An old man with a haggard look, Mr Sekao Makuruetsa was seen driving his cattle gingerly down Kgopoketsone Dam, armed with nothing but a small axe.

He slowly put one foot after the other, like someone trying to test the depth of a river. Likewise, he had only seen spoors that he had never seen before, until someone explained what that was, it is however, understandable for someone who has only seen elephants on pictures.

The old man explained how coming face-to-face with the giants would render him powerless.

He said the only option available to him was to run as fast as his tired old legs could carry him and take cover, when asked what he would do if the worst was to happen.

Although he said the giants seemed to have backtracked, Supt David Ramoseki of Moshupa Police advised residents to remain vigilant, especially in the wilderness since they had no way of knowing with certainty, how many elephants had invaded the area.

He said they only saw spoors of three elephants, which they followed to Mahitshwane, north of Ralekgetho policing area.

He however took comfort from the fact that his wildlife counterparts had reported to have seen spoors of some five elephants in the Kweneng area, apparently making a U-turn. Supt Ramoseki was especially happy that no human life was lost in the process.

Regional wildlife officer South Central Ms Mercy Munyadzwe also confirmed that the elephants had returned to safe wildlife management areas. She said they used a police helicopter to drive them across the Trans Kalahari highway on Sunday. Ms Munyadzwe was also pleased that nobody was harmed, save for a few farm fences, which were destroyed in the process.

As to what could have triggered the migration, she explained that elephants had a good memory.

“They never forget where they once ate a palatable plant, especially sweet reed or where they drank water,” she said. She also confirmed a myth that elephants had a special way of following trails once trudged by ancestors, led by a female called a matriarch. ENDs