SIGONDE – Sorrow is on the faces of the Mulaudzi family, after their father, Mr Lukas Mulaudzi (63), was trampled to death by an elephant at Sigonde Village last Thursday night.

Sigonde Village is situated a few kilometres from Makuya Village and Mr Mulaudzi was guarding his mealie field during the night when the incident occurred.

The idea of preventing wild animals from entering the fields came after the community became worried about the fact that elephants and other animals were destroying mealie fields, as well as watermelons in the Mutale area.

Capt Ailwei Mushavhanamadi of the SAPS in the Vhembe Region reported that information about the incident is scant, but the deceased's family found his body next to his mealie field the next morning. The police are, however, sure that he was trampled to death by an elephant during the night.

It was also confirmed by the environmental officer in the Mutale area that an elephant had killed the man.

According to the villagers, there is a group of subsistence farmers who used to sleep in the mealy fields, guarding against wild animals entering the field.

The spokesperson of the Kruger National Park advised the farmers to avoid sleeping in the mealy fields, because mealies and watermelons are delicacies for elephants.

"An elephant is a very big animal, but it walks noiselessly in the bush. That may be the reason why the deceased did not hear it," the spokesperson said.

Vhembe Environmental Officer Mr Samuel Mashele said his department deployed a group of rangers and an elephant has been killed.