19 Oct 2022

About 300 goats and sheep perished in Bokspits and Struizendam in a ferocious inferno that broke out from the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park last week.

Kgosi Emma Morerwa of Bokspits told BOPA in an interview on Tuesday that multiple massive blazes broke out at around 2pm last week Wednesday, killing small stock in farms located near the park.

She said some of the animals were partly burnt and the farmers killed them as there was no hope for their survival.

Kgosi Morerwa said the fire also scorched substantial acres of land, leaving the remaining animals with limited grazing land.

She revealed that some of the surviving animals could not be located, saying they may have been misdirected by the fire. 

Kgosi Morerwa lamented the huge losses suffered by the farmers, citing Mr Samuel Matthys, who lost 190 animals, Mr Stephanus Rautenburg, who lost 60 and Mr Christopher van Niekerk, who lost 40.

Kgosi Morerwa said apart from killing small stock, the fire, which subsided on Monday, through the efforts of different stakeholders, caused severe damage to property. She said a vehicle which was parked at one of the farms was burnt down on Friday evening.

Meanwhile, Mr Rautenburg, who has been rearing small stock for 20 years, said the loss was a major setback, adding however that he was fortunate as he was left with 238 goats and 500 sheep.

Acting Bokspits Police Station commander, Assistant Superintendent Paul Bimbo said 123 goats and 53 sheep were reported to have died in the fire, while 23 sheep and three goats were injured. 

In the meantime, he said 50 goats were reported missing, adding however that more could have been killed, but not reported to the police.

He appreciated the people of Struizendam and Rappelspan for cooperating in bush fire disaster management efforts.

Supt Bimbo said animals were not the only casualties of the inferno as 350 gum poles, which were to be used to restore the wildlife campsite, was burnt to ashes, adding that five ranches around Bokspits had also been drastically affected.

Struizendam Kgosi Isaac Titus was one of the people whose flock survived the fire as his son heeded the police’ warning to the BORAVAST cluster farmers to move their flocks to safety.

Kgosi Titus however said three quarters of his farm was gutted by the bush fire.

He warned people not to engage in practices that could cause veld fires. 

He  pleaded with the government to consider compensating the affected. 

“Most people in the area are living below the poverty datum line and if you are not well off and you lose a lot of animals then you become a destitute, we need help,” he said. BOPA