Elephants leave trail of destruction in Tsholotsho

By Fortunate Muzarabani

MARAUDING elephants have left a trail of destruction on what promised to be a bumper harvest for villagers in Tsholotsho, it has been learnt.


Villagers who spoke to Sunday News last Monday indicated that the worst destruction of crops was witnessed in Bhayebaye, Masuswini, Mlagisa, Somkhaya and other surrounding villages in Ward 4 under Chief Mathupula.
“Elephants numbering about 40 have been on rampage for the past four days destroying all the crops and uprooting trees,” said Ms Sitshengiselo Ncube from Mlagisa Village.
She said the destructive nature of the elephants was a major concern as it was detrimental to the crops, which were at maturing stage.
Another farmer, Mr Thembisile Moyo, from Somkhaya Village said they had since abandoned their fields to the destructive elephants as efforts to chase them away were to no avail.
“We have given up. We tried to chase the elephants away by cracking whips and beating up drums to frighten them but our efforts yielded nothing,” he said.
Mr Moyo added that they reported the matter to the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (CAMPFIRE) but no action was taken.
“We have informed the relevant authorities like the CAMPFIRE but we are yet to get any response from them,” he said.
The rampant elephants are reportedly coming from the Hwange National Park in the west and villagers reiterated the need for the responsible authorities to take the matter seriously before the they spread to other wards in the district.
Efforts to get a comment from the department of National Parks and Wildlife Management were fruitless as their numbers were not reachable.