The parents of a two-year-old boy mauled to death by a leopard at the Malelane Camp in the Kruger National Park (KNP) in 2019 have been granted permission to proceed with their damages claim against the park, IOL reports.
Isaiah Ntimane, the child’s father who is a KNP employee, lived in staff quarters where his wife Cebile Thobela and child, Courtney, were visiting when the attack happened. The park argued that the case fell under the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA) and that the father could not sue, as it amounted to an occupational injury.
Acting Judge Zodwa Gumede at the Mpumalanga High Court, sitting in Mbombela, dismissed this defence, ruling that the tragedy could not be regarded as a foreseeable workplace risk and that both parents were entitled to pursue their claims.
The family is seeking damages for funeral costs and psychological trauma following the death of their child.
