Polokwane – An elephant wandering the streets of a village in Limpopo has struck fear in the hearts of residents.
The Limpopo Department of Environmental Affairs has deployed rangers to track the elephant, which was initially spotted on Monday in the streets of Makuya village, east of Thohoyandou.
Villagers said they saw an elephant moving along the streets on Monday and that they could still see its spoor.
It has triggered fear in the remote village, as villagers have started hiding in their homes, scouring their surroundings from behind the safety of their windows.
Makuya traditional council member Prince Phandavhudzi said the presence of the huge animal has instilled fear in the community.
“It has destroyed only one family’s fence when it was moving through,” he said.
He said the animal passing through the village is a reminder of how humans and animals once shared resources, before people started infringing on their space.
It is suspected that the elephant broke out of one of the neighbouring reserves.
Phandavhudzi said the elephant may be searching for food because the area has been very dry.
Limpopo Department of Environmental Affairs spokesperson Simon Natome said a team of rangers were tracking the elephant.
“The law allows us to take it down if it proves to be dangerous to the community,” said Natome.
The department has urged residents to report or alert local rangers if they spot the roaming elephant.
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