Vehicle of murdered Kruger National Park couple already in Mozambique?
· The South African
South African National Parks (SANParks) says the vehicle belonging to a murdered Mossel Bay couple may already be in Mozambique as investigations continue into the shocking killings in the northern Kruger National Park.
Retired couple Ernst Marais, 71, and his wife Dina Marais, 73, were found dead on Friday, 22 May, in the remote Pafuri section of the park after failing to return to camp.
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The murders have been described as unprecedented in Kruger National Park’s 100-year history.
Driven across the border
Now, SANParks has revealed that investigators suspect the couple’s missing vehicle – a green Ford Ranger double cab – may have been driven across the border into Mozambique.
According to SANParks, security camera footage confirmed the bakkie did not leave through any of Kruger’s nine access gates or two official border posts into Mozambique.
However, rangers later discovered tyre tracks near the crime scene, believed to indicate a vehicle had been driven through the bush, over a fence and into Mozambique.
While authorities stressed there is no confirmation yet that the tracks belong to the missing Ford Ranger, the development has intensified investigations into the possibility that the vehicle may already have crossed the border.
The killings took place near Crooks Corner in the Pafuri region – a remote area where the borders of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique converge, making cross-border criminal activity a concern for authorities.
Followed park rules
SANParks said the tragedy marked the first incident of its kind ever recorded in the more than two-million-hectare reserve, which shares a combined 374km border with Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
According to SANParks, the Marais family told officials the couple were experienced and long-standing Kruger visitors who strictly followed park rules and would not knowingly have exited their vehicle in a dangerous area.
Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Willie Aucamp has since personally contacted the family to offer condolences, while SANParks board members, senior management and senior SAPS officials have also visited relatives.
As police continue to investigate the murders and hijacking, SANParks has announced additional safety measures in the Nxanatseni North Region, including increased ranger deployments, enhanced monitoring and upgraded surveillance technology.
Despite the tragedy, SANParks said Kruger National Park remains a safe destination for visitors, adding that effective security systems remain in place across the reserve.
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