Vongai Masuka

A Hwange man was crushed to death by a bull elephant yesterday morning while on his way to work.

The fatal attack, which residents say is part of a rising tide of human-wildlife conflict, occurred near an open-cast mine.

According to chairperson of the Greater Hwange Residents Association, Fidelis Chima, John Munzabwa, of Lusumbani Village (Number Five), was walking to relieve a colleague at the mine around 6:00 a.m. when he was charged by the elephant and was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The deceased person was actually walking to work early in the morning when he was charged by an elephant that had a baby,” Chima said.

The open-cast mine is located within an urban area, a short walking distance from many residents’ homes, including Munzabwa’s village.
Chima also noted that fatalities from animal encounters are on the rise, with victims succumbing not only to elephants but also to crocodiles and other wild animals.

Local residents and the Greater Hwange Residents Association believe that the increasing conflict is being driven by intensified mining activity in the area.