Buffalo gores woman, rips open her stomach
Victor Sibanda
A 61 year old woman from BH10 in Chief Mvuthu’s area is lucky to be alive following a severe attack from a charging buffalo which ripped open her stomach leaving her intestines protruding.
She is recovering at Mpilo Central Hospital. The beast was reportedly put down by rangers.
Sources said Elizabeth Ndlovu saw the stray buffalo in her goat pen at about sunset and decided to drive it away to pave way for her goats to get in. It is reported that the angry buffalo charged towards Ndlovu and gored her several times living her for dead.
“She spotted the buffalo in her goat pen and decided to move closer. She tried to scare it but it then charged since it was already irritated by poachers who had been chasing it. It ripped open her tummy exposing intestines. This is scary,” said Israel Ndlovu a BH 10 resident.
The buffalo was later shot dead by rangers from the Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources(CAMPFIRE) who are resident in Chief Mvuthu’ s area. The village head of the area Bushe Ndlovu thanked the swift response by CAMPFIRE, saying the beast could have gone on to harm other residents.
” I can confirm the incident. The buffalo almost killed the woman. There are many dangerous animals marauding in this area and we are living in constant fear. This is the type of life we are leading in these parts. The injured woman is recuperating at Mpilo hospital in Bulawayo where she was referred to by the Victoria Falls Hospital for specialist consideration. BH10 residents have since launched a go fund me project to raise money for medical bills and other sundries for the woman.
Elephants, buffalos, lions, hyenas and jackals are some of the problem animals in Hwange District. Elephants killed about five people in the district last year alone while predators have been terrosing residents’ livestock. The Parks and Wildlife Authority is on record conscientising residents to co-exist with wildlife given that Hwange and Victoria Falls are wildlife zones.
