The Sunday News
Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
A 26-YEAR-OLD Matobo man from Lushumbe area was crushed to death when a boulder collapsed onto his body while he was collecting honey from a bee hive. Nkalo Dube was in the company of a friend when the incident occurred on Tuesday around 7pm. His body has been reportedly trapped beneath the gigantic rock for the past four days as efforts to retrieve it were fruitless.
Chief Malachi Masuku confirmed the incident which occurred within his area of jurisdiction.
He said the villagers had first converged on the scene in large numbers and had tried to move the rock but with no luck.
He said villagers had now resorted to guarding Dube’s body until it was collected.
“A young man from Lushumbe area which is within my area of jurisdiction was crushed to death by a boulder. Efforts are still being made to retrieve his body which is still trapped beneath the huge rock.
“The police and the fire brigade attended the scene on Wednesday in a bid to remove the rock but without luck. They have spent the past five days carrying out more efforts and the last time I checked the situation had not improved as the rock wouldn’t budge,” said Chief Masuku.
He said Dube’s whole body was trapped beneath the boulder and only his head was exposed.
Chief Masuku said people within the area were in the habit of collecting honey from mountainous places at night. He said when the incident occurred Dube and his friend were using a hammer to carve some rocks in order to find their way to the honey.
Chief Masuku said in the process of carving Dube reportedly disturbed a large rock which then fell over his body.
He said Dube’s friend had indicated that he had seen the rock as it rolled down and managed to escape but could not alert his friend on time.
“Villagers have spent the past five nights at the scene where they are guarding the body. The place is however, dangerous as it is mountainous and there are bees in those caves.
“A number of people however, overlook this danger and they are continuously trapping bees in those mountains at night as a lot of bees congregate there. As leaders we have tried several times to make them aware of the danger but they do not heed the advice,” he said.
Chief Masuku who described the incident as a great tragedy for their whole community said soon after the incident occurred on Tuesday evening Dube’s friend alerted villagers of the incident who gathered in numbers to try and roll away the boulder but to no avail.
He said mourners were gathered at Mr Solomon Nyathi’s homestead where they were waiting for the body to be retrieved. Mr Nyathi is Dube’s grandfather.
