The ManicaPost
Freedom Mutanda Post Correspondent
A herd of marauding buffaloes has invaded Stage 3B Rating Investments Estate in Middle Sabi, threatening the sugar cane crop and the safety of workers. An official of Rating Investments who declined to be named said the wild animals were now a serious threat to both the sugar cane crop and workers. Herds of buffaloes numbering between 50 and 80 invaded the field and literally camped in the sugar cane fields thereby endangering human life as well as the crop, which will result in reduced harvests.
“They are coming daily into the fields. I am afraid they will endanger workers in the long run. It is my contention that the Parks and Wildlife officials should do something before a worker is killed by these animals,’’ the official said.
Meanwhile, Chipangayi farmers last Thursday fumed at a stakeholders’ meeting over what they said was gross injustice for them to watch helplessly while their crops were destroyed by marauding wild animals without any compensation coming their way. Buffaloes, elephants, hippos and lions often cross the Save River and invade the A2 farmers’ fields where they wreak havoc in such a manner that the farmers barely break even as the damaged crops come into play when the farmers count their profits and losses.
It was with that in mind that the Chipangayi syndicate chairman, Mr Sikumbuzo Thondlana, convened a meeting of all relevant parties at Chipangayi Farmers’ Club to try and work out solutions to the animal menace. The meeting almost turned haywire after a presentation by the Zimbabwe National Parks area manager, Ms Constance Gurure, told farmers that they had to partner an investor who wants to erect a fence along the Save River.
“We ought to take ownership of the fence if it is going to last. Compensation is under discussion in Parliament but this time, we can’t fold our arms and hope one day, we will be given compensation before finding local solutions,’’ Ms Gurure said.
Some people have settled in the animal corridors making it impossible for the animals to move freely.
“We have to be prepared to assist the Government in its endeavours to bring the animal/human conflict to its preferred end. The first thing to do is to be proactive and actively pray so that the heavens above would give us rain for a bumper harvest to replicate itself once again,’’ one farmer, Tavazadza, implored his fellow farmers to treat farming as a business.
Mr Joshua Mudhluri lost 30 hectares of wheat and he was beside himself with annoyance when it appeared that no one wanted to own up in terms of compensation.
“Come and see how these buffaloes literally destroyed my wheat and I am expected to start paying the bills for the previous season. I think we should raise our complaints in time to get compensation. For years, I have been at the receiving end of these animals,’’ said Mr Mudhluri.
Efforts to get a comment from the Zimbabwe National Parks Management was not forthcoming at the time the story went to bed. The secretary of the farmers, Mr Harrison Mutare, said they expected the erection of a new fence which was destroyed in 2000 and he called on farmers to be united in whatever they did. Buffaloes have in the past, killed people in the Chipangayi area. The meeting resolved to support public-private-partnership of erecting the fence, which would solve the problem of animal/human conflict.
