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Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A HERD of about 20 elephants has invaded Mangwe Dam and is consuming huge amounts of water from the dam which is Plumtree Town’s main source of water.
Each of the huge mammals can drink up to 200 litres of water in a day.

The elephants which have become a nuisance in the area have been consuming water from the dam for the past week.

The dam, located in Marula area, is one of the main water sources in Mangwe District.

Mangwe Rural District Council Chief Executive Officer Nketha Mangoye Dlamini said a team had been deployed to the site to drive away the elephants.

“The main worry which is there is that the elephants are consuming a lot of water from the town’s main source. If they’re not driven away then they’ll only move away after all the water has been consumed,” said Dlamini.

He said the team which comprised a National Parks and Wildlife Authority officer and council officers was camped close to the dam to drive away the elephants.

Dlamini said if the elephants were left at the dam, they would drink up a lot of water meant for residents, a development he said would affect the town.

He said the elephants arrived at the dam last week on Wednesday.

He said villagers first spotted them close to their homesteads and then made a report to the authorities.

Dlamini said the elephants have been frequenting the dam at night and during the early hours of the morning.

“We’ve not received any reports of the elephants harassing people yet. Dealing with these elephants will be a challenge because if they’re driven away from Mangwe Dam then they’ll move on to yet another dam and consume the water there,” said Dlamini.

He said a permanent solution like having the elephants enclosed was appropriate.

The elephants reportedly come from Mabhongwane Game Park which is in Bulilima District.

The jumbos started being a nuisance at homesteads after community members vandalised a perimeter fence that surrounded the game park.

They have been destroying crops in fields and going into homesteads in Bulilima in search of food.

It has become a common trend for the villagers to stand guard at their fields at night during the farming season in order to protect their crops from the animals.

Others watch over their granaries overnight during harvesting time.

Last month the elephants overran Izimnyama area in Mangwe where they terrorised villagers and damaged property.