The Sunday News
Dickson Mangena
SINCE time immemorial, Enkwalini, an abandoned quarry which is assumed to have been excavated during colonial times has never run out of water, even during the driest seasons.
The pool’s water level seemingly remains the same throughout the year hence even those looking for some good relish for the day can enjoy a good catch of fish.
There is no stream feeding this particular quarry and so the residents in this area tend to wonder why it never ever runs out of water. Some may think that it is in a mythical place beyond the dark mountains, but no!
This is Enkwalini pool, located in Entumbane, one of Bulawayo’s western suburbs. While the exact year of its excavation could not be ascertained, residents believe it has been there since well before the country attained its independence.
According to residents of Entumbane, the name Enkwalini was derived from the word “quarry”. Sadly, the pool has been a death trap claiming dozens of lives over the years mostly through suicide. Some children have drowned there while attempting to swim.
The pool has now come to be known as the “pool of death”, an infamous title popularly used by the media covering a series of suicides committed at the pool.
“Ever since I became councillor in the year 2013 three people have taken their lives in that quarry and this happened in a space of one year,” said Entumbane Councillor, Gladys Masuku.
The latest case is that of a young man from Njube suburb whose body was found floating in the pool in March this year.
The incident is the latest of dozens of suicides that have occurred over the years rendering the residents uneasy and in distress.
“We see Enkwalini as a curse, a very horrific pool that only brings about death. It has bad spirits that drag people to die in there. As it is we live in fear as we wonder when the next body is going to be discovered at the pool,” said a vendor outside Yona Supermarket in Entumbane, who only identified herself as MaNcube.
Her house is about 500 meters from the pool. Residents especially those with young children fear for the lives of the little ones, as this pool is now believed to be jinxed. The people’s main concern is that the place is easily accessible to everyone at any time.
“The issue of Enkwalini is stressful to residents. Early this year we buried a young man who committed suicide there. Now we are afraid to reprimand our children fearing that they may get angry and decide to go there and commit suicide,” said Mr Patrick Sadza (57) a resident.
He added that the people residing in the suburb want the pool to be enclosed so that it is not easily accessible.
“The only solution here would be to build a very high wall that is also not easy to climb.
“The idea of fencing the area has proved to be ineffective as a number of times a fence was erected but some unruly elements in the society vandalised it while some even stole the fence,” said Mr Sadza.
The Entumbane Councillor said Bulawayo City Council had already resolved that the place would be enclosed.
“Even before the recent incidents, BCC had resolved that the pool be fenced once again and there were suggestions that council should avail guards to watch the place,” said Clr Masuku.
Residents said that it had been suggested over the years that the pool be filled up with sand but this had proved impossible as the pool is too deep.
“I understand that the place is very deep and there is a tunnel from it. No one knows where it ends, so in essence filling it up would be a daunting task,” explained Clr Masuku.
She alleged that a company that used to operate the quarry and is thus responsible for the digging of the pool was approached concerning the issue of filling the pit with sand and management refused to take responsibility.
Although Entumbane residents have complained about the pool, some of them actually feel the menacing “pool of death” can be turned into a lifesaving project.
They suggested that the water could be utilised to support a lot of domestic and income generating activities.
“It’s amazing how an ominous pool like Enkwalini has both been a death trap while also being made use of by residents in the suburb for domestic purposes.
“During water rationing spates people were fetching water there for flushing toilets,” said one resident who preferred to be called MaNcube.
Other residents have fetched water from Enkwalini to build houses or extend their homes.
Pointing at some tyre tracks leading towards the pool, Mr Sadza recalled some construction companies coming to Enkwalini to get water.
“We realised that we could put that water to some use after noticing some companies coming to extract water here so we had an idea of writing a letter to the City Council so that people can do projects there,” Mr Sadza said.
Mr Sadza noted that the land surrounding the pool, which stretches to Richmond suburb, could be turned green.
Residents have in several meetings, raised the idea of starting income-generating projects like irrigations and brick making using water from Enkwalini.
“Not many people utilise the water in the quarry, those who do, use it to water their gardens which are located near the pool.
So, it would be a good thing if council erects some pipes and taps for people to draw water from the dam,” said one resident Mr Stanley Sibanda (51).
Mr Sibanda added that empowerment projects for youths should be initiated in order to make them responsible young people.
“Youths need to be pushed. An idle mind is a dangerous mind. Income can be generated from the water in that pool. Once these projects for the youths are initiated they can get busy and make money out of that at the same time staying out of trouble,” he said.
Clr Masuku added that youths should approach her with project proposals of whatever they would like to venture into. She would in turn hand in the proposals to council.
