Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
CONCERN has been raised about the heavy presence of animals along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls-Kazungula Road.
This follows an accident on Saturday where a CAG Travellers bus ploughed into a herd of elephants and killed three on the spot about 40km outside Victoria Falls.
There were no injuries to passengers while the bus suffered minimal frontal damage on the front panel and front screen.
The accident happened just before 6am when the driver encountered three herds that were crossing from the game parks towards Mbizha community.
Both domestic and wild animals freely roam around posing danger to motorists and travellers.
There is no fence to keep animals away from the road along the highway, and communities have been blamed for vandalising the fence which used to be there.
From Bulawayo, just after the Umguza toll-gate, there are dozens of donkeys and cattle that feed on the roadside up to Jotsholo and areas between Mabale and Hwange.
From Halfway up to Mabale and from Hwange to Victoria Falls and Kazungula border, the highway is infested with wild animals.
The road stretches are a crossing corridor for elephants, buffaloes, baboons and hyenas as the area is on the edge of Hwange National Park.
A number of accidents have been recorded through time involving animals hit by vehicles.
The road is also narrow with no shoulders, and it is difficult to avoid head-ons as there is no space to move to the roadside in cases of emergency because trees are also only two metres away from the yellow lane in some sections.
Bushes and grass have also not been cut thereby making it difficult to see animals intending to cross the road.
Last year a truck carrying coal in Hwange hit and killed two adult elephants near Makomo Resources Mine.
There have been calls to restore the fence along the highway to keep animals away from the road.
“This area is full of animals especially elephants and we have witnessed several accidents. We wish there can be a fence so that the animals do not freely cross into the road,” said Mr Lowani Moyo, village head for Masikili, in Matetsi.
The accidents are some of the cases of human-wildlife conflict in communities adjacent to game parks.
“These are the same animals that eat our crops and livestock. Authorities should do something, make sure there is fence along the road so that animals don’t cross freely,” said a villager from Matetsi, Ms Sinikiwe Mathe.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) spokesperson Mr Tinashe Farawo said there should be balance between human and wildlife activity.
“They ploughed into a herd of elephants and we are investigating the issue to establish what could have happened.
However, we encourage motorists to exercise caution especially in areas where animals roam freely without a fence to keep them away so that we avoid loss of life and also protect animals,” he said.
A director at CAG Travellers, Mr Sam Nanhanga said the bus company is also carrying out investigations.
He said preliminary report shows that the driver, Mr Daniel Mapfumo was not speeding but they will be guided by findings of investigations and police.
“We are waiting for police but what we got from the driver and crew is that the elephants suddenly appeared on the road. Considering the damage on the bus, the driver’s speed was not too much. The damage on the bus was also minimal as it was affected on the front panel and bumper and he managed to drive to Harare.
What we are not sure of is how the elephants could die. If he had been speeding the accident could have been fatal but fortunately none of the passengers were injured. We will know the speed after the investigations,” said Mr Nanhanga.
Matabeleland North police spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda said investigations are in progress.
He urged motorists to exercise caution especially in animal corridors. — @ncubeleon
Online Reporter