Mawana Elephants: Critical Water Source Cut Off by New Development
- LionExpose
- Aug 27
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 28
Zululand - South Africa
Conflict Soars...
The situation in Zululand's Thaka Valley, on the border of Mawana, has reached breaking point for a local farmer.
A key winter water source for the free-roaming elephant herd has been cut off due to new agricultural development, leading to escalating human-wildlife conflict.
As early as June 2024, we raised urgent concerns about water — including a detailed report written for us by Sir Ian Redmond, which was later referenced by Ezemvelo during the November 2024 Stakeholder roundtable meeting in Ulundi. Despite these clear warnings, no meaningful mitigation has prevented this. What was once a foreseeable issue during the dry winters has now become a desperate conflict.
In July 2024, development began on a previously abandoned farm, where land was cleared in stages for soya beans and maize. During early discussions, the landowner expressed little concern, believing the elephants would soon be contained.
That hope has not materialized.
In July, we were astonished at how rapidly the development was moving. Today, there are weekly issues with fences being trampled.
For over a decade, a waterhole on this farm served as a vital water source during winter months, especially when the elephants’ actual preferred waterholes within Mawana ran dry. The other favored water source lies further away down the valley.
Due to a lack of funding, Mawana has been unable to replenish these critical waterholes, which is a range manipulation strategy used on some game reserves.
Requests were amplified by ourselves, reaching out to NGOs to assist in keeping these waterholes filled during the winter — especially from the end of August onwards.
Elephants can each drink over 200 litres of water per day. During dry Zululand winters, when natural resources are scarce, access to water is essential for survival.
Despite numerous claims, no official mitigation plans, conflict response teams, or regional authorities have been visibly involved as of this week. Efforts have come from private individuals.
Since late December, the Elephants have been staying in Mawana and around it, along their historic roaming route.
Weekly reports from the community here are so intense that they have called their own meeting, to be held at the fence near the farm experiencing the issue this week — and they are bringing other communities.
One local recently saw the elephants walking near the local Spaza shop — a phenomenon not seen since late 2023, when, in the dark and thick mist the herd was sighted. Luckily the shy elephants suddenly made an about-turn back into the veldt before sunrise.
The farmer recently reported that two workers were too frightened to leave their equipment late in the evening, after the elephants emerged, moving towards the waterhole.
We have often spoken about the phenomenon of "War Elephants" or "Elephant Refugees" — elephants that have adapted to survive by hiding during the day and moving at night.
Just like the Pongola elephants...
These Mawana Elephants are exactly that.
And now the persecuted herd are hiding and making daily attempts to get to their water...
©️ LionExpose
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