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A Policeman on patrol in Shashi, west of Beitbridge, had to fake death to stop an elephant that had attacked him from trampling on him.
Faking death is common among Korekore hunters of Mbire, in Dande north of Zimbabwe, as the antics make angry elephants and buffaloes lose interest. Of course, it takes a lot of courage and quick thinking.
Constable Zimuto (first name not given) from the Police Support Unit was on patrol with other members of the security forces along the border between Zimbabwe and South Africa, when elephants attacked around 9pm on Friday.
Cst Zimuto was left with a broken rib and is now recovering at Beitbridge District Hospital.
Shashi is where Botswana, South Africa, and Zimbabwe’s borders converge and it is the confluence of Shashi and Limpopo Rivers, and was the Pioneer Column’s first port of entry, named Fort Thuli.
National police spokesperson, assistant commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident last night and said more details will be availed in due course.
However, according to sources close to the case, Cst Zimuto has since been taken to Beitbridge District Hospital where his condition is reportedly stable.
“He was part of a team on patrol along the Shashi area when a herd of elephants charged at them.
“Zimuto was in the company of a soldier and when the jumbos launched their attack the two fled in different directions. Unfortunately, he ran into the middle of the herd of elephants,” said a source.
The source said Cst Zimuto tried to cock his firearm but it was too late since one of the jumbos had already pounced on him.
The elephant reportedly lifted him with its trunk and threw him to the ground several times but when he froze in fake death, it stopped and moved on.
“When the elephants had left he managed to wake up and crawled to a nearby homestead to seek help. The villagers then took him to the local Shashi Clinic the following day,” said another source.
The Herald is reliably informed that the soldier managed to get to the forward base (camp) where he informed other team members about the incident.
They then launched a search party in the morning along the Shashi River where they recovered his rifle and later found him admitted to the local clinic.
The incident comes a few months after the police officer commanding Beitbridge District, Chief Superintendent Tichaona Nyongo said the unavailability of a patrol road along the border with South Africa presented operational challenges to security officials.
He made the remarks while giving oral evidence to members of the Joint Parliamentary Committees of Local Government and that of the Senatorial Thematic Committee on Peace and Security.
“Besides being thin on manpower, the idea of sending police officers to man borders without allowances is creating operational challenges,” said Chief Supt Nyongo.
“We are deploying them for 30 days without travel and subsistence allowances, they last received such allowances in 2005.
“In addition, we have one Support Unit company which cannot fully cover the 250km stretch of our border, especially that we don’t have a security road, the patrols we make are usually on foot and the river is infested with dangerous wild animals”.
Online Reporter