“What Has Been Done To Stop This”: Fishing at Kruger Park Sparks Concern After Crooks Corner Murders

• A Limpopo man shared photos of people fishing on foot in the river at Crooks Corner inside the Kruger National Park
• The photos left a bitter taste for many as they raised serious questions about how easily people can access the area
• Crooks Corner sits at the point where South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique meet, and is the same remote area where the bodies of the murdered couple were found

A Limpopo man shared four photos on the Kruger Sightings Facebook page on 24 May 2026 that got people talking. Mundzandzheni Punda Satara posted images of people wading in shallow water and fishing with nets at Crooks Corner in the far north of the Kruger National Park. He wrote:

"The first time I visited Crooks Corner, I saw people on foot fishing. I was so surprised."

Other photos showed people standing along the riverbank, some watching the water, others near their vehicles parked by a small wooden fence serving as a barrier. The photos were calm and almost ordinary, but the timing made them anything but.

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Why Crooks Corner is in the spotlight?

As previously reported by Briefly News, Dina Marais (73) and Ernst Marais (71) from Mossel Bay were found murdered in the Levubu River near Crooks Corner on 22 May 2026.

The couple had entered the park on 17 May 2026 and were last seen at the Pafuri picnic site on 20 May before all contact with them stopped.

Their green Ford Ranger has not been found, and investigators believe the killers may have fled into Mozambique. It was the first murder of tourists in the park's 100-year history.

Crooks Corner sits at the exact spot where South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique meet. Historically, the area was a hideout for fugitives and poachers who could slip across borders when authorities closed in.

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Today, it's known for its riverine forests, baobab trees and birdwatching, but the fishing photos reignited a conversation about how open and unmonitored parts of the park's northern border really are.

View the Facebook post here.

Kruger visitors react to fishing photos

The comments on the Facebook group page showed that many people had noticed warning signs long before the murders happened:

@lee_anne_maharaj wrote:

"From all the comments and posts, it's quite clear that access to Crooks Corner was not difficult. Really sad turn of events. If all these were known, what has been done to stop this?"

@noel_mackenzie said:

"Such a tragedy for the couple to be murdered, but in some areas in that part of the park you are close to the borders of Zim and Mozambique."

@ashleigh_mills wrote:

"Mapungubwe is a perfect example of what we don't want Kruger turning into. Kruger North is showing those same signs of neglect."

@nanna_geyser added:

"Four years ago, we reported people hunting with dogs near Phabeni Gate, but I'm unsure if any action was taken. It's unfortunate that the park seems to be deteriorating, like many state departments."

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@jj_jacobs wrote:

"This has now been tainted with the loss of two lives. This is heartbreaking and weighs heavily for a lot of people in South Africa."

More on the Kruger Park

• Briefly News recently reported on new details in the Kruger Park murder investigation pointing toward Mozambique.
• A lion was filmed strolling down a public road between Phalaborwa and Hoedspruit in Limpopo, and many had serious concerns about what it meant for safety.
• A conservationist spoke out about the Kruger Park murders and what he said left many feeling disturbed.

Source: Briefly News