How I survived a lion attack (original) (raw)

A Mpumalanga man kicked, punched and screamed to fight off a lion that was baying for his blood.

Muzi Mthombithi from Mdlankomo in KaBokweni had a nasty surprise on Friday night when he went to look for his missing livestock.

Muzi Mthombithi says lions escape from the Kruger National Park and are rife during the winter period, targeting livestock and humans in the area. (supplied)

“I had just come back from work and I was told that my livestock did not return home after grazing. I then went to where they normally grazed and realised that one cow was missing. While I was looking around for it with another community member, I saw the lion devouring my cow.

“I think I disturbed it and it came straight for me, leaving the cow. It bit me on my limb, injuring my legs and feet. I fought back by punching and kicking with both my legs. I screamed so loud that it left and ran back to the bushes,” said Mthombothi.

Community members came to his rescue and sent him to hospital.

“I was in agony,” he reflected.

Muzi Mthombithi from Mdlankomo near Kruger National Park in Mpumalanga survived a lion attack on Friday (Supp)

He was discharged on Sunday.

“I was so terrified, and I thank God and my ancestors that I’m alive. This animal had his jaw through flesh and tore it,” said Mthombothi.

According to Mthombothe, lions escape from the Kruger National Park and are common, especially during winter, and they target livestock and humans.

“We are not that close to the park but now and again the lions jump out of the park. That is why it’s more dangerous in the winter period, because it gets darker fast, so we rush home as early as possible. We believe there are many lions roaming the streets now because when we checked the area, there were [some paw tracks].”

He said while he was in hospital the community hunted the lion and ate it.

The Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MTPA) warned community members against killing animals that had escaped their enclosure.

“We were called to the area on Friday, and when we arrived, we found that the community had already killed the old, sickly lion. We regard it as a vagrant, as we also do not know where it escaped from,” said MTPA spokesperson Simphiwe Shungube

“We are warning community members to refrain from killing such animals. They are also posing a danger to themselves as the lion might kill or injure them. If they see an animal they must call MTPA,” said Shungube.

Sowetan