Tourism and wildlife authorities are working together with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to crack down on elephant poaching on the shores of Lake Jozini in northern KwaZulu Natal, following an incident where cruise boat tourists had to take cover from poachers’ gunfire on Wednesday, January 11.

A video has emerged online of the tourists – reportedly including five Germans, two Americans and one Australian – being told to take cover as shots were fired by a group of armed men linked to the poaching of about 25 elephants around the dam over the past few months. No one was injured in the incident.

Media outlets have reported that 12 charges of attempted murder have been laid against the suspects, although the SAPS has yet to confirm the charges.

“From our understanding, however, the boat was not targeted, but the tourists were told to take cover while the poachers were firing on land. This is currently a police matter and KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife will work with the authorities to provide support where needed,” said KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife spokesperson, Musa Mntambo.

Land around the dam comprises a combination of provincial reserve areas managed by Ezemvelo Wildlife (including Pongola Nature Reserve) and private game reserves.  

Mntambo said the rise in elephant poaching stemmed from community members’ anger over escalating incidents of human-wildlife conflict that led to the trampling of a resident in September 2022.

“We are working with the community and private landowners to improve management of the elephant population and resolve the problem of human-wildlife conflict.”

Call for national response

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the province has called for a national police and tourism response to the escalating levels of poaching around the dam.

“Lake Jozini is a unique fishing and wildlife attraction, and tourism is one of the only major economic drivers in the area. We now require national government intervention to deal with the poaching crisis and protect the region and the tourism industry,” said Heinz de Boer, DA Provincial Spokesperson for Environmental Affairs.

De Boer said in a statement that, despite the best efforts of the Richards Bay SAPS Water Wing unit, the lake’s fish stocks had also come under pressure from poachers.“The DA will escalate the ongoing war against poaching to the highest levels of government and demand the swift arrests of those who believe they can destroy our natural heritage and tourism sector. The situation can no longer continue,” said De Boer.