The rock reportedly fell on the night of 3 June and rolled down the hill for about 100 metres before landing on Circular Drive, one of the roads in the Matopos National Park.
It has generated a lot of interest from traditional leaders and ordinary citizens who have come up with different theories.
Speaking in an interview yesterday, Chief Masuku, in whose jurisdiction Matopos National Park falls, said spirit mediums from different shrines in the province went to see the rock on Sunday evening.
The spirit mediums were drawn from Njelele Shrine, Dula and Zhilo in Matobo district and Manyangwa Shrine in Bulilima, all in the province.
Chief Masuku, who last week convened a meeting with chiefs Malaba and Nyangazonke, both from Matobo district, to discuss the strange happening, said the spirit mediums also concurred with traditionalists who visited the site last week that the rock should not be removed until rituals are performed.
He said the spirit mediums, known as ihosana in IsiNdebele, believed the rock had a message to convey to the people hence the need for rituals to be performed.
“We visited the site where the rock fell with spirit mediums from Njelele and Bulilima yesterday and they said there is something about the rock. They believed it has a message and some rituals should be performed,” said Chief Masuku.
The chief said the spirit mediums suggested that all traditional leaders from the region meet this week over the issue.
“As we speak I am preparing to phone other chiefs following yesterday’s visit. I will phone Chief Mtshane and Chief Malaba today so that we organise the meeting. The spirit mediums said they would perform the rituals in their own way and what we have to do is gather all other chiefs this week,” he said.
Contacted for comment, social commentator and historian Mr Pathisa Nyathi said he visited the place last week.
Mr Nyathi said the action that would be taken would depend on how the fall of the rock would be interpreted.
“If they believe what happened has to do with tradition, certain traditional rituals would be conducted but if the explanation is that it is as a result of weathering then the rock will just be removed,” said Mr Nyathi.
The rock, which the Department of Parks and Wildlife Management Authority said could weigh between two and three tonnes, is still blocking Circular Drive, one of the roads in Matopos National Park.
A team of traditionalists led by Mr David Mhabhinyane Ngwenya, an inyanga based at Gwabalanda in Bulawayo, visited the area on Wednesday last week on a fact-finding mission and reported back to Chief Masuku, prompting the visit by spirit mediums.
Other traditionalists were Mr Carpenter Moyo, also an inyanga, Headman Ngwizi Gumbo from Gwanda District, Headman Moyo, a traditionalist and custodian of Ntaba zikaMambo based in Silobela in Midlands province.
Acting Matabeleland South Provincial Administrator Mr Midard Khumalo, last week said they would engage responsible Government departments to possibly remove the rock only after traditional leaders, who are the custodians of the land, make a decision on what steps would be taken.
The hill from where the rock fell is about a kilometre southeast of Cecil John Rhodes’ grave along Circular Drive from Hazel Side on the direction of Maleme Rest Camp.



