3-metre crocodile causes stir after being spotted in Vaal River

A large crocodile, estimated to be three metres long, has triggered a security alert along the Vaal River. Water Policing officials have cautioned the public to avoid the riverbanks until the creature is successfully caught and moved to a safe location.

Charles van der Merwe from the Water Policing team confirmed that a specialized trap has already been set. While the animal is believed to be a West African slender-snouted crocodile—a species typically less aggressive than others—officials maintain that it remains a significant threat to human safety.

Public Safety Measures

Community members have been instructed to stay out of the water entirely for the time being. Local authorities, including the Vanderbijlpark police and the Vaal River Rats, are requesting that any new sightings be reported immediately to assist in the tracking process.

This incident follows a string of similar reptile sightings across South Africa. Earlier this year, residents in Marble Hall, Limpopo, were alarmed when a crocodile was seen near a sewage plant, likely displaced from the nearby Olifants River by construction work.

Reptile Crackdown in Gauteng

The Vaal sighting coincides with recent law enforcement action against illegal wildlife ownership in the province. In May, a multi-agency task force raided a property in Springs to rescue two Nile crocodiles being kept in a steel enclosure without legal permits.

During that operation, officials discovered the reptiles living in a small enclosure with only a plastic splash pool. The crocodiles, measuring between 1.48 and 1.7 metres, had reportedly been kept at the residential home for more than two years before being seized by the SPCA and wildlife vets.

As the search for the Vaal River crocodile continues, experts remind the public that wild animals often move into human-populated areas due to habitat disruption. Staying vigilant and reporting sightings remains the best way to prevent dangerous encounters.