The Crocodile Tears

Chapter 6 : The Discovery

Morning came slow and hot in Bushbuck Ridge. The sun was just coming up. Mandla was already in his bakkie with two rangers. He did not sleep the whole night. He had coffee in a flask and the same story in his head. He had to say it the same way every time.

They drove for 20 minutes on the dirt road. There was no signal out here. No one could call for help. That was part of the plan.

They found the Land Cruiser far from the lodge. It was on its side in the dust. The side was smashed in. The roof was cut. Branches were stuck on it. And on the ground next to it was Siya.

He was lying there with his shirt torn and blood on his head. When Mandla called his name, Siya moved a little. He looked up like he was confused. Like he just woke up.

“Mandla?” His voice was dry. “What... what happened?”

Mandla ran to him. The rangers started walking around the car and taking pictures. “Siya! What happened here?”

Siya shook his head. “An elephant. It just came. I was driving. Nomvula was next to me. It hit the car. It turned over. I hit my head.” He touched the cut. “I think I passed out. When I woke up... she was gone.”

One ranger, Themba, looked in the car. There was blood on the seat. But no person. “Where is she?” he asked.

“She flew out,” Siya said. His voice broke a little. “I shouted for her. I looked. I could not find her. I thought maybe she was walking to get help.”

Mandla put his hand on Siya’s shoulder. “We must look. Now. Before it gets too hot.”

They walked for two hours. In circles. By the riverbed. They called her name. They found nothing. No shoes. No clothes. Only blood in the car. Themba did not say much. He has worked here for 12 years. He knows what happens when people go missing in the bush at night.

But there was no signal to call anyone. So Mandla told the rangers, “We drive back to the gate. Then we call the police.”

By the time they reached the gate and got signal, it was 9 AM. Mandla called the police. He called Siya’s lawyer. At 11 AM they gave the statement: _Elephant hit the car. Mrs. Nomvula Dlamini was thrown out. We looked but did not find her. We think animals took her._

There will be no funeral with a coffin. There is no body. The law says they must wait to say someone is dead if there is no body. But Mandla knows a person at Home Affairs. With the police paper and the ranger paper, they can make it fast.

So instead there will be a memorial. At the church in Hyde Park. Pictures of Nomvula. People will talk. Siya will cry.

Siya did his part well. At the clinic they gave him medicine. He told the police what happened one time and then said he was too tired to talk. He told Mandla he keeps seeing the elephant. He asked if they can do the memorial soon, “for the children.”

By day three, everyone believed it. Accident in the bush. Wife missing. Husband sad. The reserve put up a sign about elephants. Mandla talked to people. No one asked why the car was off the road. No one asked why only Nomvula’s side had blood. The bush took her.