Rampaging elephants worsen Matsiloje�s drought woes
Chakalisa Dube | Wednesday August 5, 2015 16:49
“We are aware of elephants that have been roaming around the country including Matsiloje areas. The elephants in Matsiloje are mostly from Zimbabwe. We recently opened up an office in Masunga, which is aimed at controlling elephants in the North East and surrounding areas,” Khama told Mmegi via SMS on Tuesday.
He said that the ministry is undertaking research on the movements of the elephants, which will inform them on effective strategies to deal with the beasts, especially in the Tuli Block and Matsiloje areas.
“It is also worth noting that (because) our Problem Animal Control unit is very busy in other areas around the country, it is stretched,” he said.
At least 100 more staffers were added to the Problem Animal Control (PAC) unit, being the first increase in the agency’s personnel in “a very long time”, Khama said.
“As the authority in animal management, we are really trying our utmost with what we have, to deal with problematic animals,” he said.
Elephants that terrorised residents in the villages of Matsiloje, Matopi and Lephane settlements near the Botswana and Zimbabwe border early this year have reportedly resurfaced again recently.
At the beginning of the year, elephants were said to be frequenting the villages of Matsiloje, Matopi and Lephane, in search of water in the process destroying farmers’ crops, particularly in Matsiloje.
Just recently crop farmers in these areas were left counting extensive losses after elephants, reportedly from neighbouring Zimbabwe, stormed their villages destroying field fences and other infrastructure on sight.
Mmegi has learnt that the elephants recently destroyed the fields of more than 20 farmers. One of the farmers, Joel Mpetsane, estimates that he lost over P60,000 in damages as a result of the destruction wrought by the elephants.
“The irrigation system I was using to water my crops in the garden and in my field has been totally destroyed. The field fence has also been destroyed. This brings the total cost of my losses to P60,000,” Mpetsane explained.
The elephants also reportedly destroyed the border fence.
In the past, wildlife officials complained that it was not easy for them to effectively fix the fence because of the frequency of destruction by elephants crossing from Zimbabwe.
The constant destruction of the fence has also been blamed for the constant reappearance of Foot and Mouth Disease in Matsiloje.
Mpetsane said he was worried that government seemed to have no lasting solution as to how to contain the elephants and prevent damage.
Another farmer, Matshidiso Joseph Mophosa told Mmegi that he would need approximately P16,000 to repair the destruction caused by elephants at his field recently. He said the beasts totally destroyed an eight-hectare fence covering his field.
“I also did not reap anything earlier this year because all my crops were totally destroyed by the elephants,” he said. “Government has not yet offered farmers compensation for our destroyed crops.” The area Member of Parliament, Samson Moyo Guma said he was aware of the damage caused by elephants in the villages.
“I have alerted the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism about the issue.
We are still in discussions as to how the issue can be resolved and how farmers can be best assisted.
“The areas have water which is why they are attracting elephants. According to what I hear, the elephants come from Zimbabwe and as far as the Kruger National Park in South Africa,” he said.
Last month North East District Council chairperson, Flora Mpetsane, who is also the councillor for Matsiloje and surrounding settlements, said government would compensate farmers whose crops were destroyed by elephants.
In a full council meeting earlier this year, she expressed concern that elephants were constantly terrorising residents in the North East District and destroying property.
Although she did not give a time frame, Mpetsane said farmers would be compensated with money to the tune of P480,000 for 25 hectares of maize and 32-hectares of sorghum destroyed by elephants early this year.