Online Reporter
Mkhululi Ncube, [email protected]
A ROUTINE walk to the fields ended in horror when a Tsholotsho woman was mauled to death by a rogue buffalo lurking in the bushes!
The tragic attack happened last Tuesday around 5PM in Mpanidziba Village, Ward 2, Matabeleland North Province.
Mrs Gladys Nkomo (née Ndebele), 55, never made it back home after crossing paths with the killer beast hidden in a dense thicket.
Local Ward Councillor Sehlule Mathema confirmed the gruesome encounter.
“The buffalo attacked her viciously, leaving her with a swollen neck. Villagers later found one of her tennis shoes dangling from a tree, and her unconscious body was discovered some distance away,” said Cllr Mathema.
In a heartbreaking twist, family members initially believed Mrs Nkomo had been attacked by goblins and tried traditional healing — but she sadly died at home around 7PM before any help could save her.
Cllr Mathema said it was the first deadly animal attack in the area in years, sparking fear among villagers already battling human-wildlife tensions.
The Tsholotsho Rural District Council boss, Mr Nkululeko Sibanda, said rangers hunted down and killed the buffalo on Friday.
“We are deeply saddened. The council is covering all funeral costs,” he said.
He warned villagers not to confront wild animals but to alert authorities immediately.
“Wild animals are increasingly moving into communities — it’s a dangerous situation,” Mr Sibanda added.
Mrs Nkomo’s burial is set for tomorrow, pending the arrival of her husband from South Africa.
