Baboons wreak havoc in Hwange

Sunday News Reporter
(From the Bulawayo Sunday News, Nov. 5th)


SCORES of people in Hwange town, mainly woman and children, are losing groceries to daring baboons that waylay them in bushy areas in broad daylight, it has been learnt.
The baboons, some of them huge, stealthily hide in bushes, ready to pounce on their human prey. Within seconds, the victims are heard screaming after losing their groceries.
The baboons target young children and women of small build but do not attack men.
It took the Sunday News a week to identify those who had fallen prey to the wild animals.
“I was about to get home after buying some bread when suddenly I heard some form of footsteps behind me. When I turned to take a look at what was behind me, I saw two baboons and one of the baboons had already grabbed my paper bag.
“Out of fright, I screamed and rushed into the house as I was afraid that the animal would harm me if I resisted. I couldn’t bear its scary face staring at me,†said Miss Sikhulile Sibanda, a resident of Baobab suburb.
Some residents of the coal-mining town said the problem of baboons attacking and seizing foodstuffs from consumers is perennial, especially during times of drought.
“This problem of baboons attacking women and children coming from shops has always been around for sometime.
“One incident I witnessed last month involved a boy who was just coming from the shops. The boy decided to use a path to get home, but just as he entered the bushy area, the baboons were already behind him.
“The boy ran for dear life whilst the baboons were in hot pursuit and after realising that he couldn’t cope with their speed, the terrified boy dropped the loaves of bread and the baboons picked them up and started eating the bread,†said Mr Arum Ngwenya, a resident of Lwendulu Village, a local suburb.

I always hated to stop on the highway to Vic Falls at the Hwange junction because of the obnoxious Baboons there. They are really not in the least afraid of people. It was one of the places that usually had some fuel so you pretty much had to stop.

Snoobabs can be pretty bad too.

Imagine the face of that baboons if you have a blach mamba in that shopping bag, though any snake will do the trick.

OK...you got me...
When I saw the title of this thread, I thought it was just another official report from Bob Mugab's office.