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"Revenge of the croc!" - Daily Sun

The front page and lead story of SA's largest daily newspaper, December 2 2013

Daily Sun (December 2 2013) - ONLY two months ago James Lukhele had a fight with a crocodile. Not only did he survive, he also managed to kill the beast!

BUT NOW JAMES HAS VANISHED AND RESIDENTS BELIEVE ANOTHER CROCODILE HAS TAKEN REVENGE!

While James (34) has disappeared, his belongings have been found on the banks of the crocodile-infested river at the Noordgrens Farm. His fellow farmworker, John Nkuna (43), told Daily Sun James was fearless.

"Myself and the other farm workers were too scared to go to the river, but James wasn't worried," said John.

"He told us he would never be killed by a crocodile and went into the water with his spear."

John described how James had fought with the crocodile before - and how he had won the battle.

"James grabbed the beast's jaws, forced them wide open and thrust his fishing spear into its mouth. He then dragged it out of the river for everyone to see," said John.

But now John and the other villagers believe the crocodiles are angry. "It seems they are angry and are taking revenge for killing their friend," said John.

John said they have had these incidents before. "Two years ago, a fisherman's head was found on the bank of the river and a year ago, we found a hand," he said.

James' wife, Sibongile Themba (33) said she told her husband to stop going to the river.

"But he didn't listen to me!" she said

"Now the crocodiles have taken their revenge."

She said James' clothes, his phone and his bicycle were found next to the river but he was gone. "And it seems to me as if nobody cares. "I told the cops that James was missing but they haven't done anything.

"I am still waiting for them to go to the river and search for the body so I can at least have something to bury," she said.

The SAPS's Sergeant Gerald Sedibe said a missing persons case was opened and was being investigated.

See the Daily Sun mobi site for more on this and other stories....

The Daily Sun is South Africa's largest daily newspaper with an average circulation of 291,132 (Audit Bureau of Circulations 3rd Quarter 2013) and a readership of 5.7m (as per AMPS 2012ab). Its Facebook page can be accessed here. It can be followed on Twitter here. To find about advertising on the Daily Sun click here.

 

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