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Families in northern KwaZulu‑Natal have taken the state to court over a killing they say has been ignored for more than five years. The case centres on the death of 30‑year‑old Celempilo Mduli, who was shot during a night‑time fishing trip on Lake St Lucia in 2020.
Mduli left his home in KwaNibela to fish with two friends. Rangers from the Environmental Management Inspectorate were patrolling the iSimangaliso Wetland Park that night. The fishers say the rangers opened fire. Mduli’s two companions escaped. He did not.
An independent autopsy later found he was shot four times. Two shots appeared to have been fired while he was already on the ground. His family filed a case soon after the incident. They say they have waited for answers ever since.
The Mduli family suffered a second loss a year later. Another brother, Thulani, disappeared after a confrontation with rangers in 2021. Rangers claimed a group of “poachers” shot at them. Men who were present say that never happened. Thulani has not been seen since.
Fishers along the northern shores of Lake St Lucia say night fishing has become dangerous. They describe tense encounters with enforcement officers. Many now fish quietly in the dark to avoid conflict. They rely on the lake for food. It is also a source of income for them.
The family wants the court to compel authorities to act. They argue the state has failed to investigate the killings properly. Their lawyers say the case reflects a wider pattern of violent enforcement in protected areas, where small‑scale fishers feel criminalised.
Community members say the situation in St Lucia shows the deep mistrust between officials and traditional fishing families. They want safer access to the lake, proper investigations into shootings and a fair balance between conservation and livelihoods.
The case is ongoing. The family says they will continue until they get answers.
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