Reserve might not own disputed buffalo
The Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency, which has taken former Springbok Hennie le Roux to court demanding that he return 20 of their valuable Cape buffalo, might not actually own them.
According to a report in The Herald this extraordinary twist resulted in a postponement of the trial in the Eastern Cape High Court (Grahamstown) last week. The report says the agency claims the 20 buffalo - valued at more than R4m - escaped from the Thomas Baines Game Reserve near Grahamstown onto Le Roux's adjacent game farm, Medbury, in 2010. It now wants the buffalo back and Le Roux is not willing to relinquish them, according to the report which notes the ownership of the buffalo is contested in Le Roux's court papers. While the agency manages the game reserve, some portions of it are owned by the local Makana Municipality. The report says since this has now come to light Judge John Smith postponed the matter to June for investigation. Full report in The Herald (subscription needed)