Guide fined over trampled tourist
27/03/2009 10:29 - (SA)


Marietie Louw-Carstens, Beeld

Modimolle - A field guide and a company owning several luxury lodges were found guilty of culpable homicide in a regional court on Thursday, after the death of an American tourist.

Loren Mummy, 32, was trampled to death by an elephant cow on November 10 2005.

Senior prosecutor Renier van Rooyen said it was the first court case of its kind, where a field guide as well as a company were criminally charged and convicted after the death of a tourist.

Milton Mnguni, 43, and the Three Cities Group, which owns Nungubane Lodge within the Welgevonden Nature Reserve near Vaalwater in Limpopo, were also found guilty of contravening the Tourism Act.

Mummy was a guest at Nungubane Lodge. She died when she and two Scottish tourists went on a walk with Mnguni in the nature reserve.

Not trained as a ranger

Magistrate Pat Cloete said in his verdict that Mnguni was not a trained or registered ranger at the time of the incident.

"It is inhumane to appoint someone who isn't qualified," he said.

The court heard how Mnguni let Mummy and the two Scottish tourists come as close as 37m to an elephant cow in the field. When the irritated elephant charged at them, Mnguni did not use his .375 Holland weapon to shoot the animal. He held it above his head and shouted at the animal.

The elephant cow, which was the matriarch of her herd, stopped charging and stamped her feet on the ground. She was far from her herd - which included elephant calves - who were grazing elsewhere. While the elephant stamped her feet, Mnguni turned around and ran away. She then charged and trampled Mummy.

Cloete said in his verdict that Mnguni did not tell Mummy and the others to get as far away from the elephant cow as possible.

When the animal came closer, he told the tourists to squat down. A few moments before she was gored, Mummy was still taking pictures of the animal.

Her heart and lungs ruptured due to impact when the animal hit her.

Cloete gave Mnguni a R10 000 fine or six years in prison, suspended for five years, on the charge of culpable homicide. He was additionally given R5 000 or six months imprisonment, for contravening the Tourism Act, because he was not registered as a guide.

The Three Cities Group was fined R100 000 on the charge of culpable homicide. It was suspended for five years. Cloete furthermore fined the group 10 000, suspended for five years, for contravening the Tourism Act by employing the unqualified Mnguni.

Mnguni is now working as a field guide at a lodge in KwaZulu-Natal. The court heard on Thursday that he was still not qualified as a field guide. Leave to appeal was granted.

- Beeld

Walt Disney strikes again.

Was the elephant charged as well???

Jeff

quote:

Originally posted by Kathi:


Mnguni is now working as a field guide at a lodge in KwaZulu-Natal. The court heard on Thursday that he was still not qualified as a field guide.

Want to try and avoid a stay at that lodge, I reckon....

quote:

Originally posted by Bwana Bunduki:
Was the elephant charged as well???

Jeff

No, it was the elephant that did the charging!

Shame, really sorry for the woman's family... The operator should have been given a much stiffer fine. Not because an elephant killed someone, but because they had an unqualified guide guiding tourists.

Dave

Sounds like a comedy routine.