The man,
identified as Editor Hove of Cowdray Park, had been missing for several days
before his body was discovered floating in the dam on Thursday.
During the
search, relatives and neighbours performed traditional rituals at the dam,
hoping to communicate with water spirits to establish whether Hove was still
alive.
A community
member told CITE that the family believed he was alive during the rituals.
“The man was
inside the river for three days and was found dead on Thursday floating on top
of the river. The family had hope that he would come back alive because on
Tuesday we went with them to perform their rituals and they said they managed
to talk to him and the mermaid. Eight days later he was found dead floating on
the river,” the source said.
Some residents
said the family was known for practising ukuthwasa, the Ndebele initiation
process for training as traditional healers.
Another
resident added that Hove often fished at the dam.
“The victim had
been reported missing before his body was discovered. What I am told is that he
used to go fishing at this dam where his body was found,” said the resident.
Police
confirmed the incident and said investigations were underway.
Bulawayo police
deputy spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Thandeka Ndlovu, said officers were
called to the scene on 28 August.
“At around
12:30 hours, police received information that there was something which
appeared like a human body floating in Enkwalini Dam. Police reacted to the
information and upon arrival, the body was retrieved by the Sub Aqua police
unit and was confirmed to be Editor Hove, a male adult aged 53 years of Cowdray
Park, Bulawayo,” she said.
Ndlovu added
that Hove had fishing equipment with him when his body was found.
“There was also
a white sack containing fish and a small axe hanging on the deceased’s
shoulders. We urge members of the public to be careful when entering water
bodies or fishing so as to avoid loss of life,” she said. Masvingo Mirror
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