/ 21 October 2007

Rhino kills employee at Krugersdorp game reserve

A Kagiso man died when he was attacked by a rhinoceros at a Krugersdorp game reserve at 3pm on Saturday afternoon.

”I heard a man cry on the side where rhinos were. When I went to look, I just saw it throwing him in the air and mauling him,” said eyewitness Teboho Phalafala.

Phalafala went to raise the alarm, but when help arrived Zwane Lehane (41) was dead. It was not known why the rhino attacked him.

Lehane was a worker at the Mount Savana Game Reserve, located on a farm. He had no visible injuries.

Phalafala said rhinos were allowed to roam the property to protect it from thieves.

Vehicles were normally used to take workers to their posts, but their bakkie did not arrive on Saturday and it was thought Lehane decided to walk instead.

He said workers had asked that the animals be fenced in after a woman died in a rhino attack last year.

Krugersdorp police confirmed that they were investigating the incident, but would not provide details. – Sapa