admin
Temba Dube Senior Reporter
VILLAGERS from Chief Sipho’s area in Tsholotsho District have reportedly been making a living out of poisoning elephants with cyanide and yesterday they resolved to give up the practice and work with authorities to conserve wildlife.They told a ministerial delegation of seven ministers led by the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere at Pumula Village under Chief Siphoso, about 87km from Tsholotsho Centre where cyanide poisoning of elephants was rife that the breaking down of the Campfire programme, council and parks services led to some of them resorting to poaching to make ends meet.
Villagers asked the delegation, comprising Cabinet Ministers Professor Jonathan Moyo (Information), Cde Kembo Mohadi (Home Affairs), Dr Sydney Sekeramayi (Defence), Dr Ignatius Chombo (Local Government) Cde Cain Mathema (State) and Engineer Walter Mzembi (Tourism), for a month-long amnesty, in which they pledged to introspect and convince those among them that still had cyanide, to hand it over to the authorities.
At least 95 elephants have died after eating salt laced with cyanide. Environmentalists have warned that the poison could enter the food chain, killing animals that feed on the elephant carcasses and even humans.
Villagers are allegedly being exploited by syndicates who pay them as little as $500 to kill an elephant, with the syndicates selling a pair of tusks for as much as $17 000.
Contributing to the discussion, a villager, Mr John Vumile Dube, pleaded with the Government to give villagers who still had cyanide at their homesteads up to the end of the month to hand it over to the authorities.
“We have been working with Chief Siphoso and we have already convinced some villagers to hand over cyanide. We are pleading with the police to give us time and stop arresting villagers until the end of the month. Anyone caught with the dangerous chemical after that should then face the wrath of the law.
Most of our children have fled from the village to South Africa after people started being arrested over the issue. Please give us a chance to caucus among ourselves to get rid of all the cyanide in the village,” said Mr Dube drawing applause from other villagers.
He said he had been working with Campfire since 1987 and problems started in 2009 when the organisation’s structure seemingly broke down. “Campfire stopped remitting the 60 percent it is supposed to give to village wards from the disposal of natural resources.
“The parks rangers stopped patrolling areas adjacent to Hwange National Park and there was no one left to deal with problem animals. Elephants started moving from the park to the villages destroying people’s crops. As we speak, there are areas like Ward 1 and 7 where people have not harvested anything since 2009 because of the elephants,” said Mr Dube.
He said people were bitter because they were being arrested for killing the elephants yet they were destroying their crops.
“Poverty and hunger drove people to start this cruel practice of poisoning elephants that they had been co-existing with,” said Mr Dube to more applause.
Chief Siphoso said people who were involved in the “callous” hunting method were greedy and jealous.
“We have to take the blame for the despicable actions of our children. However, I appeal to the Government to avail more funds to enable park rangers to establish more base stations so that they are able to patrol the park and deal with the problem animals. The one base at Hwange is too far for this large area.
I must say I am pleased with the stiff sentences that were given to poachers who were arrested recently. They were unlike the usual six month sentences that the poachers used to serve and quickly return to their wayward ways,” said Chief Siphoso.
Three of the eight poachers who were arrested were each slapped with 16-year jail sentences. Chief Sipho said villagers were ready to rid the area of poachers and work at preserving their cultural heritage and natural wealth in sustainable ways that would develop the area.
Tsholotsho Rural District Council’s chief executive officer, Mr Themba Moyo, said the major problem in the area was poor cellphone network and lack of transport.
“When problems arise, it is difficult to notify the authorities on time. If we see people being involved in criminal activities or animals causing havoc in the villages, by the time we make a report, they would be gone. Council and parks rangers also do not have adequate vehicles to enable them to respond swiftly to distress calls from villagers.
Criminals are as a result taking advantage of this loophole,” said Mr Moyo. Cde Kasukuwere told the villagers that Cde Mohadi had agreed to grant the amnesty.
He said the Government would ensure that the Campfire model was reviewed if it was not working.
“We should see Zimbabweans benefiting from their resources. If they are not, they will work with foreigners to destroy their birthright. It is good that all stakeholders are here and everyone has spoken openly. Together we shall act on all the information and ensure that there is positive change.
Tsholotsho is an arid area that has been hit by a series of poor harvests, it only makes sense that people here should benefit from their wildlife,” said Cde Kasukuwere.
To date the cyanide poisoning incident has killed at least 95 elephants, two buffalos, a kudu, giraffe, lion, two painted dogs and lots of vultures that fed on the poisoned carcasses.
The Government has embarked on a programme that has since brought a buy-in from stakeholders that include villagers, Tsholotsho RDC, Campfire, Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and safari hunters to stamp out poaching, especially using the highly toxic cyanide.
Online Reporter