Zimpapers Logo

Bongani Ndlovu in Zwehamba, Maphisa
VILLAGERS in Maphisa in Matabeleland South province lost more than 40 goats that drank contaminated water allegedly discharged into a small stream in the area by a local business entity.

The water was allegedly contaminated with urea, a fertiliser chemical from the Arda farm that is situated in Zwehamba Village, about about 25 kilometres from Maphisa Centre under Chief Nyangazonke.

The incident occurred last week on Monday and 42 goats as well as a cow died.

The chemicals reportedly flowed from a leaky Jojo tank that is used to mix it with water to fertilise the wheat crop through spraying.

A Chronicle news crew visited the area yesterday and met Ms Thembinkosi Ndlovu who lost 18 goats.

She said she was at Maphisa Centre on Tuesday last week when she was phoned mid-afternoon to be told that her goats had died.

“Mine like other homesteads are along the fence that goes around the Arda farm. So our goats and cattle would go and drink at a small dam and stream there.

“There’s a pump house that’s not fenced. The goats went there to drink as usual at their water source. Unfortunately, they had mixed their chemicals to spray their crop, it’s fertiliser called urea and it was now leaking. They do the mixing in a Jojo tank and it was leaking into the stream where the goats were drinking,” said Ms Ndlovu, holding a 20-litre bucket filled with dried goat meat.

When she got to the homestead Ms Ndlovu said she had the painful task to look for her goats in the bush which died along the way.

“I had to find my goats which were strewn along the path as they were going back to the homestead. I collected 13. Some had been eaten by either dogs, vultures or crows.

“Out of the dead, I could only salvage five. My son was the one who skinned all of them. It’s painful to experience such a thing and I’m devastated,” said Ms Ndlovu.

At the homestead goat skins and meat have been hung on a makeshift rack, which was being used by Ms Ndlovu’s son Mr Similo Sibanda to skin the goats.

Ms Ndlovu said they were told that the meat was safe to eat but they should throw away all the innards.
She said she and other neighbouring villagers met with Arda farm manager Mr Alex Chinyayi and they drew up an agreement to be compensated.

Ms Ndlovu said one of her neighbours lost 13 goats, another 11 and one man lost a cow.

They were not at home at the time.

Ms Ndlovu said each goat costs R1 000 and each kid is R200 and she is set to receive R14 000 as compensation.

The agreement gleaned by Chronicle was signed by the village head Mr Solomon Maduna, a police officer and Mr Chinyayi.

Another villager Mr Albert Thebe said he lost a young bull that drank the water that was contaminated by the chemical.

“I found my young bull dead and they said it drank the contaminated water. When I got there I was devasted. I wanted to burn the carcass but the young men that guard the pump wanted to skin it for me. I said I can’t eat the meat as it hasn’t bled out. So they asked for the meat and I gave it to them,” said Mr Thebe.

He said the pump area must be fenced because such an incident happened before.

Village head Mr Maduna confirmed the agreement and explained the villagers’ plight.

“We met with the Arda farm manager Mr Chinyayi and the affected villagers and there was an agreement to pay them compensation. The goats were in total 42 and then there was a cow that also died because of drinking from the stream. I gather it is the urea chemical that poisoned the livestock. It’s used to fertilise the field and the Jojo tank where it is mixed is leaking and has flowed down into the stream nearby,” said Mr Maduna.

 

He said he once lost goats from a similar incident.

“This isn’t the first time that this has happened. I lost 15 goats some years ago. I met Arda people and there were promises of compensation but until today there’s nothing. There wasn’t anything written down as an agreement, so I’m still waiting,” said Mr Maduna.

Mr Chinyayi said he could only speak about the issue after he gets clearance from head office.

Follow on Twitter @bonganinkunzi