The woman, Lydia Dube (30) was pronounced dead on arrival
at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo yesterday after being transferred from
Hwange Colliery Hospital with residents in the mining town’s concession areas
calling on relevant authorities to speedily act on the escalating
human-wildlife conflict cases.
The elephant has since been put down by Zimparks rangers.
Sources who spoke to Sunday News in Hwange said Dube who was employed as a
security guard was on duty where she was guarding a broken down crane at Chaba
Mine.
“She saw an elephant a distance away and disembarked from
the machine she was guarding to go to the guard room. Unbeknown to her, there
was an elephant that was lurking behind her that attacked her before she got to
the guard room leaving her for dead. She was discovered still alive but
seriously injured,” said a workmate who requested anonymity.
She was rushed to Hwange Colliery Hospital where her
condition deteriorated before being transferred to Mpilo where she succumbed to
the injuries on arrival. Residents in the area who were distraught following
the attack blamed mining companies for the increase in human-wildlife conflict
cases.
Mr Micah Ndlovu from Lusumbami Village said: ““This is a
great concern to us. We are now experiencing more visits by the wild animals
than before and we no longer feel very safe.”
The elephants have been imposing curfews in Lusumbami,
Makwika, Madumabisa and Lowe Colliery areas with human movements no longer
possible after 6pm. Some blamed Zimparks
for not putting an effort in controlling problematic animals.
Residents said authorities should act to prevent such
incidents instead of wanting to be seen to be doing something when people have
lost lives. Greater Whange Residents
Trust said it had engaged Zimparks on several occasions.
“We have engaged Zimparks several times and there have been
conflict on who should be controlling the animals. Zimparks says it’s a private
area belonging to Colliery but now we don’t know if it has the capacity to
handle the issue,” said GWRT programmes officer, Ms Sithembinkosi Ndhlovu.
Zimparks spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo confirmed the
incident calling it unfortunate and sad. Sunday News
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