Poison banana death probe

January 09 2009 at 10:00AM


By Sibusiso Mboto

The KwaZulu-Natal agriculture and environmental affairs department will send officials to speak to a property owner in Hilton who allegedly laced bananas with poison meant to kill monkeys, but instead a 63-year-old garden service supervisor died.

This was confirmed by KZN Ezemvelo Wildlife boss Bandile Mkhize, who said the visit was meant to inform the owner of the appropriate steps to take in dealing with the problem of wild animals to avoid a similar situation.

Secoomar Brijmohan, a father of three and a grandfather, apparently ate a banana he had found on a table in a garden in which he was working. He became ill soon afterwards and died at Grey's Hospital.

Mkhize said the property owner should have consulted Ezemvelo before taking what many believed was a drastic step.

"The killing of animals should be the last resort," Mkhize said.

With the permission of the authorities, animals could be trapped and released into a more controlled environment in an Ezemvelo-owned area.

Police Supt Henry Budhram said the owner of the property would not be charged at this stage.

"We are investigating the circumstances surrounding the man's death and should it emerge that there was any foul play we will look at charging people."

sibusiso.mboto@inl.co.za

This article was originally published on page 3 of The Mercury on January 09, 2009

Kathi, interesting read.

I gather there are two lessons to be learned from this incident.

1 Learn from the ranchers in Montana dealing with wolves: Shoot, Shovel, & Shut-up.

2 If the banana isn't yours don't eat it.

No, there is a third lesson here. Some people should not be allowed to breed. You know what I mean...drew.

This could also have been a govt sponsored experiment in population control. Should have dropped ten thousand from an airplane.