By Dalphine Tagwireyi
Sand poachers in Empworth, a town outside Harare in Zimbabwe are allegedly throwing discarded skeletal remains which they have dug up into the community’s water source.
Poachers illegally mine the sand in Empworth’s cemetery, digging up the bodies of the deceased so they can sell the sand on the black market.
Locals allege that when they dig up skeletal remains – including those belonging to deceased children – they dump them in the water source the community uses.
Community leader Samuel Katsande said that for the past three months, they have been called to remove skeletal remains at Epworth Quarry Dam, the community’s only water source.
A resident from ward 5 in Epworth, Givemore Mukushi, told Scrolla.Africa that he was devastated to find that when he visited his late three-year-old son’s grave, his remains were missing.
“I am still in shock, when I went to weed his grave, as I usually do every month, I looked for his grave and I couldn’t find it, all that is left is a trench that shows sand poachers removed a number of graves,” he said.
A 28-year-old sand poacher who is also a resident in Epworth told Scrolla.Africa that he knows sand poaching is illegal but that’s how they are surviving as they have no jobs.
“We have turned the cemetery into running battles as we try to run away from police officers and the sand near the cemetery is rich so when we encounter coffins, we have no choice but to throw away the skeletal remains,” he confided.
The Epworth Constituency Member of Parliament, Zalerah Makari, said that they are aware of what’s happening in the area and it’s very sad.
“We recently approached the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) to liaise with them that we may find a way to stop these illegal activities from happening,” she said.
“What these land poachers are doing is damaging the environment, and we approached CAAZ as the settlement is near the airport and plans are underway to relocate those who are building their houses near the cemeteries because their livelihood is not healthy,” she explained.
The ZRP Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said that reports have been received of graves that have been tampered with and no arrests have been made as yet.
Pictured above: Epworth Quarry Dam
Picture Credit: Dalphine Tagwireyi
