A KARIBA woman was at the weekend mauled to death by a crocodile while watering vegetables in her garden situated along a riverbank in Negande, Nyaminyami Ward 6 of Kariba.
According to sources, the tragedy occurred at the weekend along Mawena River, claiming the victim only identified as Mai Tesla, who leaves behind her husband and three children, including a six-month-old infant.
The victim was reportedly watering her vegetable garden along the riverbank when the giant reptile suddenly lunged from the water, clamped onto her leg and dragged her into a deep Mawena pool. In a desperate attempt to save her, the husband, Clever Musiwa who was maintaining the same garden, bravely jumped onto the crocodile but was unable to rescue her.
With the assistance of other villagers and a ranger from the Nyaminyami Rural District Council, who had been informed, efforts were made to retrieve the body.
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A witness told a local blogger, Kariba Binoculars, that although Musiwa dived onto the reptile, he helplessly watched as his wife was dragged away.
The ranger, who had initially been instructed to wait for senior officials travelling from Siakobvu, defied the directive after spotting the crocodile at a distance moving off with the victim.
He took a bold decision to fire at the reptile, shooting it once in the head.
Witnesses reported that despite being shot, the crocodile did not release its grip but died with the woman still in its jaws. Police, arrived from Siakobvu later and conducted a thorough inspection to determine whether the fatal injuries and death could have been caused by the gunshot, but confirmed that the shooting was justified and did not contribute to her death.
The woman's body was eventually retrieved and laid near the pool, where the crocodile's carcass was also placed before being transported away.
Ward 6 Councillor, Obey Siachungwe, expressed deep sorrow over the incident, noting that the community had hoped to conclude the rainy season without tragedy.
"The rainy season was about to end without any disaster, and now we are mourning. Last year, we also lost Maema Ngwenya to drowning in Mawena River," he lamented.
The incident has heightened concerns over the safety of residents who rely on the river for their daily needs. Authorities, including ZIMPARKS and Wildlife Conservation Action, are urging communities to exercise extreme caution when accessing water sources known to be inhabited by dangerous wildlife. Residents have been advised to treat all water bodies as potentially crocodile-infested.
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The shot crocodile is believed to have been involved in previous attacks on three villagers, including one fatal incident in which the victim later died at Karoi Hospital.
