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UK based samaritan donates commode chair to Binga crocodile attack victim

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

A UK-based Zimbabwean woman has donated a commode chair with a supportive armrest to a Binga man who survived a vicious attack by a crocodile after jumping into Mlibizi River while running away from a herd of elephants leading to his both legs and left arm to get amputated.

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Windas Sianene Muleya (43) from Chief Saba jumped into the jaws of the giant reptile while running away from a herd of five elephants that was encircling him during a fishing expedition in September last year. 

His legs and arm were first amputated at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo before another amputation on both legs in neighbouring Zambia after doctors there said the initial procedures were botched.

His cousin Tendayi Zulu told VicFallsLive that  the family had incurred a lot of costs while seeking treatment for Sianene, both in Zimbabwe and Zambia, making them fail to purchase a user-friendly chair. 

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“The commode chair was recently donated by a lady called Veronica Sibanda who is based in the UK,” Zulu said. 

“She actually sent money and the chair was bought in Bulawayo before being  sent home by bus on the 15th of January 2023. 

“The lady also promised to buy books and meet the school fees bills.” 

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Muleya is the father of three minor children, one of whom the mother is deceased. 

In an earlier interview, Muleya said the government was yet to give him any assistance despite some officials showing an interest in his case when his story first hit the headlines.

He said his old-aged mother and brother are the ones who assist him with his routine hygienic check as he often soils himself. 

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Muleya narrated for the first time how the September 28 incident that altered his life forever unfolded.

He said he was fishing close to his homestead on the confluence of Mlibizi and Zambezi rivers when he suddenly saw a herd of five elephants charging towards him.

Seeing that there was nowhere to run to since he was on an island and the elephants were charging from the only route out of the area, he decided to jump into the river and the crocodile attacked him and he had to fight it off by gagging it until it let go of him. 

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He was immediately taken to Binga District Hospital where upon admission, he was transferred to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo where a decision was made the following morning a decision to amputate his left leg and left arm.

After spending several weeks without healing, his family took to Zambia and the surgeon doctor at Livingstone Hospital informed them that the amputation was not properly done as the legs were not aligned prompting them to redo another surgery. 

After spending 17 days at the institution, Muleya was discharged and had to move in with his mother at her homestead together with his children. 

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Initially there was a wheelchair that was donated to him, but he could not push it because of the dust and sand soils in the homestead. 

Zulu said Muleya is still in need of handouts such as the clothes and toiletries for his minor children. 

For assistance, family can be reached on Zulu’s mobile number  +263 77 680 8607. 

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In the community

Avoid nightime movement and stoning elephants, communities told

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

Following a recent spate of human-wildlife conflict incidents, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesperson Tinashe Farawo has urged communities to exercise caution when encountering wild animals.

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Farawo emphasized the importance of avoiding confrontations with elephants, particularly when they encroach into community areas. “We would like to urge members of the communities to avoid throwing stones at elephants,” he said. “This action agitates them, leading to attacks on people.”

In addition to avoiding confrontations, Farawo advised community members to minimize movement at night, as this is when wild animals are most active. “We would like to urge communities to avoid moving at night to minimize casualties,” he said.

Farawo’s comments come after a 79-year-old man from Hwange was killed by an elephant yesterday. The incident is still under investigation by rangers. This is the second fatal incident in the area, following the death of another man who was attacked by an elephant while on his way to work in Hwange town several weeks ago.

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Elephant attack claims life of 79-year-old man in Mbizha

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BY STAFF REPORTER 

A 79-year-old man from Mbizha village met a tragic end yesterday when he was killed by a stray elephant, according to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.

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Zimbabwe Parks spokesperson, Tinashe Farawo, confirmed the incident, saying, “We confirm the sad and unfortunate incident that happened today where a 79-year-old man lost his life.”

The attack occurred four kilometers away from the community, although the exact time of the incident was not disclosed.

This latest incident brings the total number of human deaths caused by wild animals to 40 this year, with over 55 people injured, according to statistics from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority as of last month.

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Since 2019, over 370 people have been killed and 453 injured in similar incidents, highlighting the ongoing concern of human-wildlife conflict in the country.

 

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ZPC employees appear in court over US$3.8 million theft charges

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BY STAFF REPORTER

Two senior employees of the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) in Hwange, have been charged with the theft of company property valued at US$3 896 000.

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Tawanda Mhaka and Ruth Chiyani were arraigned in court following an extensive investigation into the alleged theft, which reportedly involved an accomplice, Hardlife Zimwenje, who remains at large.

The allegations stem from an incident that occurred on the 22 and 23 of August last month, during which a truck was captured on CCTV at the ZPC’s Turbine Hall loading stolen goods. The footage revealed that the loaded items included 15 electric motors, 48 tonnes of brass pipes, and a metal container. Notably, the loading occurred without proper documentation, raising immediate red flags for investigators.

Ruth Chiyani, who serves as a Loss Control Assistant, is accused of overseeing the illegal loading but failed to provide any invoices to justify the movement of the company’s assets.

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Tawanda Mhaka, acting as the Stores Officer, allegedly instructed a boilermaker to cut an electric motor and a storage container into smaller pieces to facilitate their loading onto the haulage trucks.

The stolen goods were reportedly transported using trucks hired by Zimwenje, further complicating the network of theft. Both Mhaka and Chiyani were arrested last week , following a comprehensive investigation that revealed substantial evidence against them, including CCTV footage and removal authority documents signed by the defendants.

“According to investigators, the evidence against them is substantial, including CCTV footage and removal authority documents signed by the pair. The pair was remanded to the 26th of September.”the National Prosecuting Authority said in a statement.

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