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Zimbabwe’s human wildlife conflict compensation scheme met with scepticism

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Windas Sianene is grateful that he miraculously survived a crocodile attack soon after escaping from being trampled by elephants, but he says life has become a nightmare for him and his children.

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Sianene (43) from Binga had his left leg and arm bitten off by a crocodile in the morning of September 28 after he jumped into Mlibizi River while fleeing from five elephants that had approached him as he was fishing with friends.

His right leg was also badly injured by the crocodile attack.

The father-of-three was attacked by the crocodile as he tried to swim to safety and survived the epic battle with the reptile by jumping on its back and shoving his arm down its throat to make it gag until he was rescued.

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Sianene was taken to Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo – about 436 kilometres from his home in Binga – where both his legs and left arm were amputated, but his nightmare did not end there.

His wounds did not heal until relatives took him to Zambia where he was amputated on both legs again because the doctors said the initial procedure at Mpilo Hospital was botched.

The unemployed widower has been relying on relatives and well-wishers to cover medical costs and for the upkeep of his family.

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“I have not been helped by anyone from the government,” he said.

“They tried to contact me soon after the incident, but I have not heard anything from them since then.

“It’s only well-wishers that have been assisting me (with food and medical fees).”

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Sianene’s plight will resonate with hundreds of victims of wildlife conflict across Zimbabwe who are left to struggle on their own to access medical care or any form of compensation because of the absence of an appropriate framework.

Cases of human wildlife conflict have been on the increase with research by the Zimbabwe Environmental Lawyers Association indicating that attacks by wild animals rose by a staggering 293% between 2016 and last year.

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) said more than 60 people were killed by wild animals between January and May this year, which was equivalent to the number of people killed in the whole of 2020.

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Last year, 72 lives were lost due to human wildlife conflicts that are blamed on unsustainable population growth of animals such as elephants and encroachment of human settlements into wildlife habitat.

Communities in wildlife corridors also regularly lose their crops and livestock as competition for water and food between wild animals and humans intensifies.

The government recently said it was setting up a human wildlife conflict compensation fund to cushion victims through medical assistance and where death occurs, funeral assistance will be provided.

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It is based on a self-financing model where proceeds from hunting and other crowd funding activities would be pooled for the relief effort, but conservationists and activists are not convinced that it will go far enough in addressing the plight of victims of human wildlife conflict such as Sianene.

Blessing Matasva, co-founder of the Green Institute Trust that has been monitoring human wildlife conflicts in Manicaland province, said it was not clear how the proposed fund will assist victims and resolve the deadly conflicts.

“We have our reservations in terms of how the fund is going to operate since the government has highlighted that it is a self-funding mechanism,” Matasva said.

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“We are worried that there won’t be enough money flowing to the fund.

“Issues of regulatory frameworks protecting the funds need to be addressed because there is an issue of the limit to say who is going to get compensated.”

Given Moyo, a councillor in one of the wards in Hwange district that bears the brunt of the human wild conflicts, said there was need to overhaul a number of laws to protect communities.

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“We have been advocating for communities to benefit from their natural resources, including elephants that are being sold to Asian countries,” Moyo said.

“Elephants also destroy crops and we have been lobbying that they be culled so that the meat is given to starving people in the communities, but our pleas have been ignored.

“We are worried about the recently announced compensation scheme because it does not address the real issues that communities are facing.

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“We want the compensation fund to be backed by a law so that victims and communities can hold those in power to account when they don’t deliver.

He added: “We cannot celebrate a fund that is not complete when people’s crops are being destroyed year after year and lives are lost due to mismanagement of natural resources.”

Mutasva said the funds should promote human wildlife conflict prevention measures such as fencing of game reserves, introduction of community benefit schemes and provision of water.

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“They are only talking about three compensatory measures that are for death, injury and maiming,” he added.

“It should also address loss of crops because there has been a lot of damage there and they must help the survivors because in some instances it is breadwinners who become victims of human wildlife conflicts.

“They should also consider psychological support for victims because most of these families are left to mourn on their own.

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“Above all, we need a law that regulates these funds because without that the money is bound to be misused.”

Jephat Muzamba, a traditional leader in Binga, said the compensation scheme must go beyond covering medical and funeral expenses as communities were losing their livelihoods to human wildlife conflicts.

“The fund should help protect people from the wild animals because in my area many people have been killed together with their livestock,” Muzamba said.

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“In some instances, some people have been left nursing permanent injuries and for the government to say they will only cater for a funeral is not enough as the victims need to be looked after.”

Conservationists say Zimbabwe can copy neighbouring Botswana’s human wildlife conflict compensation model.

The Botswana government pays transport and medical costs for victims of attacks by wild animals.

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In the event of death, the victim’s family is given money to cover funeral costs and loss of income.

The government also pays compensation for loss of livestock, which is 35% of the killed domestic animals and where crops are destroyed, the farmers receive a payout to repair the damaged fences and buy seed.

 

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Hwange

Buffaloes wreak havoc in Victoria Falls, residents living in fear

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

Residents of Mkhosana in Victoria Falls are living in fear as a large herd of buffaloes continues to invade their communities, destroying vegetable gardens and posing a threat to human life.

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https://x.com/Vic_Falls_Live/status/1853724332553314445/video/1

According to eyewitnesses, the buffaloes, estimated to be around 30-40, have been encroaching into the communities since June, with some residents reporting that they have been vandalizing their gardens as early as 8 PM.

David Mpofu

David Mpofu, a resident of Mkhosana, expressed his concern, saying, “We are living in fear because these buffaloes come every day, destroying our vegetable gardens. We want the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority rangers to take action and chase them away.”

Trymore Ndolo

The Victoria Falls Combined Residents Association member, Trymore Ndolo, who was also at the scene on Monday night close to the CBZ houses, expressed frustration, stating that the buffaloes are becoming a menace and encroaching into high-density residential areas.

The issue of human-wildlife conflict is escalating due to the ongoing drought, with elephants also encroaching into communities in search of water and food.

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Residents are crying foul as their source of food is being destroyed.

Last week, a large herd of buffaloes even invaded the Victoria Falls City Council water works premises, taking security guards by surprise and forcing them to hide.

In Mkhosana, the  buffaloes refused to budge until Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority officials arrived and chased them away.

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Residents are calling for urgent action to address the situation and ensure their safety and security.

 

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Schools in Tsholotsho destroyed by heavy rains, learners left conducting lessons under the trees

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

Last week’s heavy rains have left a trail of destruction in Tsholotsho, with two schools severely affected.

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Nembe Primary School and Nembe Secondary School suffered significant infrastructure damage, displacing learners and prompting calls for urgent assistance.

 

According to Ward 22 Councillor Nkululeko Ndebele, the rains destroyed wall blocks, scattered blanks everywhere, and damaged walls at Nembe Primary School.

“The wall block of grade three and four was destroyed, and the office of the staff, administration block, and solar panels were also damaged,” he said.

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At Nembe Secondary School, the block used by Form One and Two students was destroyed, leaving learners without classrooms.

“Currently, the children are learning under the trees because no action has been taken,” Councillor Ndebele lamented.

The District Schools Inspector visited the site on Monday to assess the damage, and a further visit is scheduled for today to determine the extent of the destruction.

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Councillor Ndebele appealed for international assistance, citing the economic situation and drought ravaging the communities.

“Parents cannot afford to rebuild the schools, and we need help from anyone willing to assist,” he said.

Ndebele says the schools, built in the 1950s, have never been maintained, and their age has contributed to the extent of the damage.

“We are getting into the rain season, and we urgently need help to rebuild and restore these schools,” Councillor Ndebele emphasized.

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Bubi

Four months without answers: Mother pleads for help finding son

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Try Ndiweni, a 38-year-old man from Bulawayo, has been missing since August 20. His mother, Catherine Ndiweni, is desperate for any information that can lead to his safe return.

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“He showed the signs of not being well but on the Tuesday of his disappearance, l had just come back from the farm in Bubi, and when l asked why he was not answering the phone as l away, he started to search for it from his jacket accusing us of stealing it. I tried to calm him down, but he was persistent.”

His mother explained that Try has a history of mental health challenges and has been seeing psychiatrists since 2005

“We suspect that he had stopped taking his medication recently, and I’m worried about his well-being,” she said.

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On the night of his disappearance, she said, “We were all asleep, and when we woke up, he was gone. He took his identity certificates and carpentry academic papers with him but left all his other belongings behind.”

The family suspects that Try might have crossed into Botswana, where he has resided before. However, efforts to locate him have been unsuccessful so far.

She is worried about her son’s safety and well-being.

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“I’m worried sick about my son,” she said.

“I am also unwell, l have hypertension and diabetes so l thought he was following the instructions. I do not know what triggered him to stop, but as a family we are very much worried because he has never disappeared.

We ask ourselves day and night where he vanished because his twin brother attimes go quite and asks me where his brother is, what is he eating, bathing, what he is wearing, where is he sleeping and myself everyday around 2AM, l lose sleep and whenever l eat l think about him, but l hold on to God to answer my prayers because l do not know where he went.”

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Ndiweni is described as light in complexion, 1.5-1.7 meters tall, with a moderate build and bald hair. He was last seen wearing a red t-shirt and black shoes.

If you have any information about Try’s  whereabouts, please contact his mother Catherine Ndiweni at [‪+263 71 315 6336‬]

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