adminTemba Dube Senior Reporter
VILLAGERS from Chief Siphoso’s area in Tsholotsho District, who last week asked the Government to give them until the end of the month to hand over cyanide they were using to kill elephants, are yet to start surrendering the poison. However, the issue would be discussed at Pumula Mission today where a number of villagers are expected to surrender the chemical.
At least 95 elephants have died at Hwange National Park after eating salt laced with cyanide, reportedly given to villagers by poaching syndicates.
After the meeting on Friday last week, where villagers requested the amnesty, a number of people from Pumula village told Chronicle that there was cyanide at almost every homestead.
The meeting was also attended by a high powered seven ministerial delegation that was led by Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, comprising Cabinet Ministers Professor Jonathan Moyo (Information), Cde Kembo Mohadi (Home Affairs), Dr Sydney Sekeramayi (Defence), Dr Ignatius Chombo (Local Government) and Engineer Walter Mzembi (Tourism).
“Akula muntu ongela sayinethi lapha.Kodwa njengoba abadala sebekhulume lathi, sizayihambisa enduneni (There is no homestead that does not have cyanide here. But since the elders have addressed us, we will surrender it to the chief). We have been make a living out of killing elephants,” said a villager
In a telephone interview yesterday, Chief Siphoso said no one had come forward so far.
“We are yet to receive cyanide. However, this does not mean villagers will not give it up. A number were arrested before we were given the reprieve. They just need to be assured that their names will be kept secret and the police will not go after them. We will address all such issues at tomorrow’s meeting,” said Chief Siphoso.
He said it was not true that there was cyanide at every homestead.
“That is an exaggeration. The only people we suspect have the chemical are from a few lines in Pelandaba Village,” said the chief.
A villager who spoke to Chronicle said he would give up cyanide at the meeting.
“I have spoken with two of my friends and we are definitely handing it over. We have almost a kg. If we fail to gather courage to do it at the meeting, we will approach the chief before or after. We trust him and we know he will not reveal our identities if we choose to keep our names hidden,” said the villager, from Pumula Village.
He said he had been given the cyanide by a friend who has since fled to neighbouring South Africa. A number of villagers, especially youths, reportedly fled to the neighbouring country after police started investigating the cyanide poisoning of elephants at the game park in August.
Villagers are reportedly being exploited by poaching syndicates, which pay them about $500 to poison elephants and the syndicates go on to sell a pair of tusks for as much as $17 000 on the black market.
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