Lion on loose in Redan as drone and police join massive search

• A security guard spotted and photographed a lion roaming Redan, Gauteng, at around 03:50 on 14 October 2026
• A drone with thermal imaging technology, a police dog unit and local residents joined the hunt across dense bushveld
• Police warned residents to stop spreading unconfirmed information as the animal's origin and gender remained unknown
• Briefly News reached out on the Midvaal Municipal Call Centre to confirm if the lion was indeed on the loose

A lion was spotted prowling the streets of Redan, a residential area situated between Vereeniging and Meyerton in Gauteng, in the early hours of Wednesday, 14 October 2026, triggering a large-scale search that stretched across farmland and dense bush.

The first person to encounter the animal was security guard Ithumeleng Mobadi, who was on patrol at around 03:50 when he heard unusual sounds near a pole on the eastern side of Redan. He shone his cellphone's flashlight in the direction of the noise, initially expecting a stray cat. Mobadi said:

"At first I thought it might be a cat or something."

What he found was far larger. He switched off his light, managed to snap a photograph of the animal, and fled as the lion ran south. When asked if he had been frightened, he did not hesitate:

"I was so scared."

Residents received WhatsApp warnings urging them to stay indoors and keep their pets inside.

Briefly News confirmed with the Midvaal Municipal Call Centre that a lion was indeed on the loose.

Drones and dog units deployed in Redan search

Authorities responded quickly. A drone fitted with thermal imaging technology was deployed to detect the animal through temperature differences in dense vegetation. The police dog unit arrived on the scene, joined by local residents and representatives from Bloufontein Wildlife Park, the nearest game park to the area.

By mid-morning, the search had shifted to McKay Estates agricultural holdings, on the opposite side of Redan. Kobus Jordaan, a resident involved in the search, confirmed the team had picked up the animal's trail but had not yet located it. Jordaan said, adding that thick bush was slowing progress significantly:

"We are now back on his trail in McKay:"

Bloufontein Wildlife Park distances itself from escaped lion

Bloufontein Wildlife Park issued a statement confirming that all its animals had been accounted for and that none of its lions were missing. The park's management was clear that the animal found roaming Redan did not come from their facility.

There was also ongoing uncertainty about whether the animal was male or female. Mobadi believed it was a lioness because it appeared to lack a prominent mane. Bloufontein's statement referred to a male lion, but search team members said the gender could not be confirmed at that stage.

By 12:30, police issued a public warning asking residents not to share unverified information. A message had been circulating falsely claiming the lion had already been found and was being prepared for transport. Officer AO Pieterse, involved in the search, urged the community to verify before posting. Pieterse said:

"Please don't post stuff on the group if you are not sure about it. Just confirm what you post."

The animal's origin remained unknown and the search was still active.

Read the full report here.

South Africans following the story online had plenty to say on the page:

Hester Havenga wrote:

"Just don't shoot the lion dead, PLEASE, it's not the lion's fault that he got out, but it's the owner's fault, so don't shoot him dead, please get someone to dart him so he can sleep and then take him to a safe place."

Lisa Grobler joked:

"Only in South Africa. When you see the 🦁 lion just hope his name is Simba or Mufasa, otherwise I dunno."

Pauline Stix quipped:

"It is the Kaizer Chiefs Lion, it ran away with their 3 points."

Tego Google's Ravele said:

"Walkerville it was Tiger 🐯 now Meyerton Lion 🦁 what are you doing there in the Vaal 🤔"

Disclaimer: Briefly News confirmed with the Midvaal Municipal Call Centre that a lion is indeed on the loose in Gauteng, but could not obtain further information on how far authorities are from locating it.

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Source: Briefly News