The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) wants the government to investigate ”properly” the circumstances around the escape of a lion from a game farm near Winburg in the Free State, it said on Tuesday.
”The Congress of South African Trade Unions in the Free State and Northern Cape is relieved to hear that the male lion who escaped two weeks ago was finally shot at by a local farmer near Winburg,” Cosatu said in a statement. ”We are relieved because it was just by luck that farm workers or passing people were not victims of this dangerous species.”
The lion was shot dead on Sunday.
Cosatu’s provincial secretary in the region, Sam Mashinini, said the union federation wants a proper investigation into whether the fence around the lion’s enclosure was cut by stock thieves, as reported.
He said the government department responsible for issuing game licences must ensure that proper investigations are completed before licences are issued.
Many farm workers and dwellers do not have proper housing, which means that dangerous animals could enter their homes at night while they are sleeping.
”The escape of this animal is a signal to the government that more has to be done to ensure that these dangerous species are kept in areas where it will be difficult for them to escape,” said Mashinini.
The union said there should be mechanisms to signal to the game farmer when a fence is cut. — Sapa