One of the owners of Greenstone Wildlife Estate, Jannie de Witt, made a grisly discovery last week when he found the carcass of a blue wildebeest caught in a snare. 
He and his workers were establishing a new road in the park when they discovered it. The estate form part of the Mountainlands Game Reserve. 
According to Jannie the wildebeest was probably caught in the snare some three months ago and the animal died a slow, horrible death. He said that snares were common in the reserve. In the past a zebra had to be put down to put it out of its misery after being snared. 

They often find game with mutilated legs due to snare injuries. He said that the Mpumalanga Parks Boards assisted them with the poaching problem and patrolled the area regularly. The game reserve is home to a wide variety of game like wildebeest, impala hartebeest, duiker, klipspringer, zebra and waterbuck.

Due to the low water levels of rivers in the De Kaap Valley irrigators are faced with water restrictions with immediate effect. 

According to Cas du Preez, chairman of the Kaap River Valley Major Irrigation Board, abstractions from the Queens, Noordkaap and Suidkaap rivers are not allowed on Saturdays and Sundays. 
Farmers may abstract water from Queens River and Noordkaap River from Mondays to Fridays between 06:00 to 17:00. The Suidkaap River is divided into two groups. The northern group may abstract water from Monday morning 06:00 until Wednesday 11:00. The southern group may abstract water from Wednesday morning 06:00 until Friday afternoon 17:00.

No irrigation is allowed from canals not cemented or piped, during these restrictions. Water bailiffs were appointed to monitor abstractions. 
Du Preez said that illegal abstraction of water is a criminal offence and transgressors will be prosecuted.