In the community

Zimparks warns of deadly attacks by wild animals

Published

4 years ago

August 20, 2021

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) says villagers living close to wildlife sanctuaries must brace for more deadly attacks by wild animals because the reserves are now overpopulated.

Tinashe Farawo, Zimparks spokesperson, told VicFallsLive that wild animals such as elephants and buffaloes were increasingly venturing into human settlements to look for food and water where they attacked people.

Farawo’s comments followed pleas by Victoria Falls residents for authorities to take action against the now frequent incidents of elephants straying into their yards where they destroy vegetable gardens.

“Our parks are overpopulated and that’s why we see more elephants now encroaching into people’s territories and killing them,” he said.

“From this time going forward people should get prepared for more deadly incidences until the next rain season towards year end.”

Last week, an elephant trampled to death two villagers and injured two others in Gokwe district.

A village head from Mbire in Mashonaland Central was also trampled to death by an elephant while stocking sorghum at his homestead.

Villagers living around Hwange and Zambezi national Parks say stray lions have of late been killing their livestock.

Other animals such as elephants and buffaloes are destroying their vegetable gardens.

They also complained that buffaloes mix with their cattle, which exposes them to disease outbreaks.

Affected villages are around Dete, Tsholotsho and Victoria Falls in Matabeleland North.

Residents in Victoria Falls’ Chinotimba high density suburbs killed a buffalo that was destroying their vegetables.

The residents said they decided to kill and skin the animal because Zimparks was taking too long to react to distress calls about problem animals.

On Tuesday night, a herd of five elephants was spotted in the city centre near the Shoestring backpacker’s lodge and night club.

Another elephant that was terrorisng Chinotimba and Mkhosana residents was gunned down by Zimparks rangers after destroying multiple vegetable gardens.

Farawo said the country’s estimated 100 000 elephants, mainly found at the Hwange National Park, must be culled urgently to reduce the population.

The Environment ministry has proposed the culling of elephants to reduce their population.

Zimbabwe last culled elephants in 1988 but the exercise was heavily criticised by animal rights groups across the world.

In the community

Population Services Zimbabwe to offer free family planning services in Nkayi

Published

3 days ago

September 11, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

Population Services Zimbabwe (PSZ) is set to provide free family planning services in Nkayi District from next week

The initiative which will run from 15-18, aims to enhance access to comprehensive reproductive health care and empower individuals and couples to make informed choices regarding family planning.

The outreach will kick off on Monday, September 15, at the Sivalo Rural Health Centre (RHC) and its outreach site. This will be followed by activities at various locations each day:

Tuesday, September 16:
Jabulisa at 9:00 AM
Ngabayide at 2:00 PM
Wednesday, September 17:
Sebhumane at 9:00 AM
Nesigwe RHC at 10:00 AM
Thursday, September 18:
Mateme RHC at 9:00 AM
Sembeule at 10:00 AM

The services offered during this campaign include:

Loop insertion and removal
Implant insertion and removal
Depo Provera injections
Secure and control pills
Emergency contraceptive pills
Counselling on reproductive health issues

In the community

Hwange driver convicted for negligent driving

Published

4 days ago

September 10, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A 24-year-old Hwange man has been convicted for negligent driving following an incident that left a pedestrian severely injured.

The hearing took place at the Hwange Magistrates’ Courts, where the National Prosecuting Authority laid out the details of the case against Ndabezinhle Moyo.

On 21 November last year, Moyo was driving a Toyota Hilux along an unnamed road in Phase 4, when he collided with a pedestrian.

According to the prosecution, the vehicle struck the pedestrian with its left view mirror, resulting in a fractured lower limb. The victim was promptly taken to St. Patrick’s Hospital for medical treatment.

The state presented its case against Moyo, highlighting two key points of negligence. First, they argued that Moyo failed to maintain proper control of his vehicle, a crucial aspect of safe driving. Second, they contended that Moyo did not take reasonable action to prevent the accident when it became apparent that a collision was imminent.

During the proceedings, Moyo was found guilty as charged. The magistrate imposed a fine of US$600, emphasizing the importance of road safety and the consequences of negligent driving. Alternatively, if Moyo fails to pay the fine, he faces a six-month imprisonment sentence.

Additionally, he was ordered to surrender his driver’s license for endorsement, a decision meant to underscore the gravity of his actions and to encourage safer driving practices in the future.

In the community

Woman connives with boyfriend to kill step mother

Published

1 week ago

September 4, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

A chilling murder case has unfolded in Tsholotsho, where a 34-year-old woman, Linnar Muzimela, and her boyfriend, Nkosi, are being sought by police for allegedly killing Muzimela’s 58-year-old step mother, Jenifer Dube.

According to the police, the brutal murder occurred in Magotsha Line in May 2025. The suspects allegedly buried Dube’s body in a shallow grave in the garden, where it was later retrieved by police on Tuesday, this week.

Police are now appealing for information that may lead to the arrest of Muzimela and Nkosi. The motive behind the murder is still unclear, but the police are working tirelessly to piece together the events surrounding Dube’s tragic death.