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Marvelous Moyo Gwanda Correspondent
THE Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environment on Friday visited Guyu in Gwanda District to assess damage caused by the invasive Opuntia fulgida or Cactus Rosea plant.
The committee, led by its chairperson, Cde Anastancia Ndhlovu, toured the affected areas to ascertain the damage the plant had caused to both humans and animals and how it had spread.

The invasive plant has affected 3,000 hectares of land in six districts of Matabeleland South.
It sucks nutrients from the ground thereby killing plants in an area and leaving livestock without pastures.
Cactus Rosea, also known as umloyi, pricks livestock and humans, often causing blindness or death.

Government has determined that about 1,500 affected households in 50 villages should be assisted to participate in eradicating the weed from their land.
Cde Ndhlovu told Ward 14 villagers in Bhandani village that the purpose of their visit was to see the situation on the ground regarding the problematic plant.
“We are here to also get an understanding from you as villagers as to how best government can deal with this plant. This is a national problem.

“The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) needs about $2,5million to get rid of the plant and research done so far shows that we need to eradicate the plant here in Matabeleland South so that it does not spread to other parts of the country,” she said.

Cde Ndhlovu said EMA would need about $666,000 per year over a period of three years to fight Cactus Rosea.
“As a committee, we will put pressure on government and development partners to source the required funding so that the problem is quickly attended to. Parliament agreed that this is a disaster therefore we will work together in the fight,” she said.

Cde Ndhlovu thanked EMA and other stakeholders who had made great strides in trying to eradicate the plant and encouraged the parties to continue working together.
Villagers said the plant had invaded most of the pastures and livestock no longer grazed freely. They called for urgent government intervention.

“We appeal to government to come up with measures that will completely deal with this plant to help us and save our livestock,” said Bhandani village head Best Ncube.
Ward 14 Councillor Phineas Maphosa appealed to the committee to help villagers start projects to productively make use of bare land in the area.

“In trying to get rid of this plant, we now have lots of bare land that could be used productively. We would like to have orchards and we appeal for your assistance,” he said.
EMA, partners and various communities have used a number of methods in trying to eradicate the plant.

Statistics from the (EMA) show that while the invasive alien species has spread throughout Matabeleland South Province, the most affected area was Gwanda District.
The province has also been invaded by an alien plant called Lantana camara.

The alien plants have invaded 3 075,85hectares of land in Gwanda District with Wards 8, 14, 15 and 24 being the most affected.
Umzingwane follows with 664,3ha of land invaded while 399,82ha have been affected in Matobo.

In Bulilima, 70ha has been invaded, 66ha land affected in Beitbridge while 26,57 Ha and 10,75ha have been invaded in Insiza and Mangwe districts.
National University of Science and Technology (Nust) researcher Buhle Francis has embarked on research for a possible biological intervention.
She is investigating the possibility of harnessing Cochineal bugs that eat the plant for eradication of the problem.

The insects have been successfully used in neighbouring South Africa.