LOUIS TRICHARDT – The local police this week issued an urgent warning to the public not to use the shortcut route through the bush between the town and Eltivillas.

The warning came after the latest incident in which a man was allegedly murdered in the Litshovhu dam in the Bird Sanctuary.

Police divers recovered the body of the 25 -year old Khongweni Tshikunwani, a car washer of Eltivillas, from the dam after an alleged violent incident.

Two witnesses informed the police that they heard a loud call for help from the vicinity of the dam in the bush.

They rushed there and found a man in the water, trying to get out of the dam. Another man was standing on the bank and was preventing the struggling victim from coming out of the water. He also allegedly hit the man on the head with a beer bottle. The victim then disappeared under the water.

When the police arrived at the scene, the suspect had already fled on foot. Nobody has as yet been arrested in connection with the incident.

The police then issued a written warning to the public to alert them to the danger of using the shortcut, as various criminal activities, such as rape, robbery and murder take place along this route.

The police statement requests members of the public not to take the risk by using the shortcut route, because it has been identified as "one of the dangerous places in this area."

Inspector Daniel Ndlovu of the police in Louis Trichardt said upon enquiry that the municipality has been approached about the criminal activities taking place in the specific area A request to put up an official notice at the entrances to this route, warning the public about the danger, has been made.

The municipal manager, Mr Reuben Rambado, was not available when information was sought about possible municipal action to safeguard the particular area. When he was phoned in the morning, his secretary said that he was unavailable and would only be in after 14:00. When he was phoned again after 14:00, the switch-board operator said: "He is not in."

Control over the area of the Bird Sanctuary was donated by the local municipality to the Wild Life Society of South Africa to develop it as a tourist attraction.

Ms Anneke Buttler of the Wildlife Society said upon enquiry that the issue of the Bird Sanctuary would be brought before the society's next executive meeting in April.